A tragic road accident occurred late Saturday night in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people and injuries to 24 others.

The incident took place in the Nadan Dehat police station area of Maihar district, approximately 490 kilometers northeast of the state capital Bhopal. A sleeper coach bus, traveling from Uttar Pradesh to Nagpur, collided with a stationary stone-laden dumper truck on the national highway.

Emergency services responded promptly to the scene, using heavy machinery to extricate passengers trapped within the mangled wreckage of the bus. While five people lost their lives immediately, 29 others were rushed to Satna hospital. Sadly, five more succumbed to their injuries during medical treatment. Two passengers remain in critical condition.

Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The high toll of the accident underscores the ongoing issue of road safety in India, where deadly accidents are a frequent occurrence. Overloading, poor road conditions, and reckless driving are often cited as contributing factors. (ILKHA)