Fatehgarh Sahib, April 15 -- A bus carrying devotees from Anandpur Sahib overturned in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib, killing eight people, including two women and injuring 19 others, police said on Wednesday.

The accident occurred near Himmatpura on the Morinda-Chunni road in the Bassi Pathana area at around 10 pm on Tuesday when the devotees -- all residents of Fatehgarh Sahib's Main Majri -- were returning from Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district after paying obeisance on the occasion of Baisakhi. Prima facie, it appears that the vehicle developed some malfunction, Fatehgarh Sahib Senior Superintendent of Police Shubham Aggarwal said.

Around 40 people were travelling in the bus.

Initially, six people, including a woman, died in the incident, while 21 others were injured. Later, two more victims succumbed to their injuries in a hospital, Fatehgarh Sahib Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar said.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Fatehgarh Sahib, Bassi Pathana and Morinda in Rupnagar district, while some critically injured patients were referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh. The remaining passengers were unhurt.

At PGIMER Chandigarh, 12 injured individuals were received with multiple trauma, including maxillofacial injuries and fractures of the limbs, while four were brought dead, a statement by PGIMER on Wednesday evening said.

"All those brought to PGIMER alive, even in the most critical condition, have been promptly attended to with comprehensive multidisciplinary care and have been successfully stabilised," the statement said, adding that PGIMER remains committed to providing the highest standard of care to all affected patients.

Following the accident, several locals rushed to the spot and assisted in rescue operations. An injured woman said the bus suddenly overturned when it was about to reach the Main Majri village. Bassi Pathana MLA Rupinder Singh, who reached the spot on Tuesday night, said all the devotees were from Main Majri village.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among those who expressed grief over the death of devotees. "I extend my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. I pray for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured," the President said on X.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.