Authorities reported that eight devotees lost their lives and numerous others sustained injuries when a bus they were traveling in caught fire on the Kundali-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Haryana on Friday night.
The devotees, who had been on a pilgrimage to Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, were returning when the fire erupted. The bus, which carried over 60 individuals from a family, including women and children, all hailing from Punjab, became engulfed in flames.
Survivors recounted noticing flames at the rear of the bus around 1:30 am on Saturday and attempted to alert the driver. Observing the escalating situation, a passing motorcycle rider trailed the bus and alerted the driver, prompting a halt. Local residents rushed to douse the flames and rescue those seated at the front of the bus.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
