At least 16 people were killed and 26 were injured in a frontal collision between a bus and a truck transporting gas cylinders in the Pakul district of Jharkhand on Wednesday morning.

The police said the injured were being treated in different hospitals, and at least three of them were in critical condition.

The news agency ANI quoted an official as saying: “The cause behind the accident was reckless driving and poor visibility caused by heavy fog.”

The accident occurred at about 8:30 am on the Govindpur-Sahebganj National Road in Padkola Village, Amrapara Police Station District.

According to the police, the bus with 40 passengers was travelling from Barharwa in Sahibganj district to Jasidih in Deoghar district.

According to PTI, one of the critically ill patients has been referred to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, and the transfer of other patients is in progress.

According to the police, the injured were initially taken to Sardar Hospital in the area. Several people were trapped in the bus, and they were taken out after the vehicle was dismantled with a gas cutter.

The impact of the accident was that the front ends of the two cars were glued together. They said buses and trucks were speeding and suspected that the fog in the area reduced visibility and caused the accident.

The police said that if the gas cylinder on the truck exploded, the death toll could increase substantially.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed condolences to the victims and instructed the regional government to ensure proper treatment of the injured.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times