Tarn Taran bus accident: five killed as two Punjab Tirath Yatra buses collide head-on on NH-54
One bus driver crossed the divider while trying to avoid a motorcycle, police said, and 37 people were travelling in the two buses.
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The Tarn Taran bus accident on Saturday evening killed five people, including four pilgrims, and left more than 15 others injured, officials told PTI, in a report carried by ThePrint. Two Punjab government-run pilgrimage buses collided head-on on National Highway-54 near Naushehra Pannuan in Tarn Taran district.
How the Tarn Taran bus accident unfolded near Naushehra Pannuan
The accident occurred when the driver of one of the buses, in an attempt to avoid a motorcycle, crossed the road divider and collided with an oncoming bus travelling in the opposite direction, PTI reported. The impact damaged the front portions of both buses, and some passengers were trapped inside the wreckage.
Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner Nirmal Ossephchan said teams from the civil and police administration, the Road Safety Force and ambulances reached the spot soon after the call and started rescue work. Oneindia reported that local residents also rushed to the site and helped pull out trapped passengers.
Who was on the Tirath Yatra buses
Both buses were carrying pilgrims under the state’s Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme, with 37 people travelling in them, according to PTI. Senior Superintendent of Police Surendra Lamba said a motorcycle pillion rider was among those killed. The reports reviewed differ on the breakdown of the dead and on the number hurt: PTI said more than 15 were injured, while Oneindia put the figure at 18.
Casualties and treatment
Ossephchan said four people died on the spot, while one of the six passengers referred to Amritsar died of injuries later. Five seriously injured passengers were being treated at Guru Nanak Dev Medical College and Hospital in Amritsar, and the rest were admitted to the Civil Hospital in Tarn Taran. A doctor at the Civil Hospital told Oneindia that 22 people were brought in after the crash.
Key numbers
- 5: people killed, including four pilgrims, per PTI via ThePrint.
- More than 15: people injured, per PTI. Oneindia said 18.
- 37: people travelling in the two buses, per PTI.
- 4: injured passengers in critical condition and shifted to Amritsar, per Oneindia.
- 50: minimum age of pilgrims eligible under the scheme, per Oneindia.
What Modi, Mann and officials said
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said in a post on X that he had received distressing news of the accident near Naushehra Pannuan. He said strict instructions had been issued to officials to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical treatment without delay. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: “Deeply saddened to hear of the loss of lives in an accident in Tarn Taran, Punjab.”
Background: The Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme
The Punjab government’s Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme allows eligible residents aged 50 and above to visit religious places, Oneindia said. NIS has also covered other road tragedies, including the Kaziranga road accident, where the toll rose to 26 in Assam. Mann was also in the news this week when the MEA commented on his Lahore visit.
What happens next
The reports reviewed do not say what action police will take over the Tarn Taran bus accident or whether compensation has been announced. The district administration and police were still handling relief and rescue operations when the reports were filed.
The crash involved buses run under a state pilgrimage scheme for people aged 50 and above, so the passengers were older and more vulnerable to serious injury. Reports differ on the toll breakdown and the injured count, and the cause is still being investigated. Whether Punjab announces compensation or a safety review is the next thing to watch.