Rohtas (Bihar): A pickup van carrying 26 pilgrims lost balance and fell into a seventy feet deep gorge killing three persons on the spot in the Rohtas district of Bihar in the wee hours of Friday. The pickup van moving at a high speed and lost balance fell into a roadside ditch. Preliminary investigation suggested that the driver lost control of the vehicle due to the brake failure, said the police.
Rohtas Superintendent of Police Vineet Kumar said, "At least 26 persons were travelling on the pickup van. Whereas 19 people have been critically injured. More information about the accident was awaited. The pickup van fell into a deep gorge. After receiving the information, the police rushed to the spot and shifted the bodies to Sadar Hospital, Sasaram for post-mortem. The deceased are yet to be identified.
The pilgrims belonged to Redia village under Karakat police station." A rescue team has been camping at the spot to lift the badly mangled pickup van. “We were on our way to Gupt Dham from Gorari. We were travelling on a hired pickup van. The vehicle lost control and fell into a ditch due to brake failure. Three people died on the spot," said Priyanka Kumari, a pilgrim.
Read: 40 injured as bus rams into stationary truck in Bihar
More than 20 pilgrims sustained injuries in the accident. The pilgrims were travelling in a pickup van and they were on their way to Gupt Dham when the vehicle overturned and fell into a deep gorge. Critically injured have been referred to Sasaram Sadar hospital," said Dr A Singh, Physician, PHC.
