Jaipur/Kota, Oct. 18 -- Eight people were killed and 17 others injured after a tempo traveller carrying pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh to Rajasthan's Khatu Shyam temple broke through a road divider and plunged nearly 20 feet into a drain along the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Kota district on Saturday morning, police said. Police said the tempo was carrying around 25 passengers, mostly residents of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh. They had left Betul on Friday night to visit the Khatu Shyam temple in Reengus, Sikar district. Seemliya station house officer (SHO) Nand Singh said, "The vehicle had crossed the Karadiya toll plaza and was heading towards Sultanpur when the driver lost control. The vehicle broke through the divider, plunged into the drain and crashed into a wall." Seven of the deceased have been identified as Aruna, Vaishnavi, Trisha, Krishna, Anita, Om Suryavanshi and Raju, while the identity of the eighth victim is yet to be established. A total of 17 passengers were reported injured in the accident, although only some have been identified so far. Police said all the deceased and injured are believed to be relatives or family friends. The bodies of the eight victims have been brought to Kota and kept in the mortuary. The accident occurred between 6 am and 7 am. Four passengers died on the spot, while four others succumbed to their injuries en route to the hospital, police said. The injured were taken to the New Hospital attached to Kota Medical College and MBS Hospital for treatment. The condition of several passengers remains critical. The impact severely damaged the front portion of the vehicle, leaving several passengers trapped inside. Villagers and passersby rushed to the spot and began helping the passengers. Police personnel, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) rescue teams and emergency ambulance services subsequently joined the operation. An NHAI crane was deployed to retrieve the badly damaged vehicle from the drain, officers said. Meanwhile, the NHAI, in a statement on its X handle, attributed the accident to suspected driver fatigue and excessive speed. "According to preliminary information received from the spot, the Traveller was moving at high speed in the overtaking lane when the driver apparently dozed off, causing the vehicle to go out of control and fall off the expressway near Karadia village," it said. The authority further stated that emergency response teams were mobilised immediately after the accident was reported. Following the accident, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited the hospital and met the injured passengers. Taking serious note of the incident, Birla directed the Kota district collector and superintendent of police to constitute a special investigation committee to examine the circumstances that led to the crash. "Based on the findings of the investigation, comprehensive measures will be taken to prevent such accidents in the future. We are conducting a road safety study on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway," Birla said. Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also expressed grief over the loss of lives. In a post on X, he described the accident as deeply distressing and said he had directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav directed officials to provide Rs.4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased along with all possible assistance required during this difficult time....