Eighteen people were killed and three others injured when a speeding tempo traveller crashed into a parked truck on the Bharat Mala Expressway in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district on Sunday night, police said.
According to Phalodi Superintendent of Police Kundan Kanwaria, the victims were returning to Jodhpur after visiting the Kolayat temple, located around 220 kilometres away. All of the deceased were residents of the Phalodi area in Jodhpur.
The injured were initially taken to a nearby hospital for emergency care and later transferred to Jodhpur via a green corridor for advanced treatment, officials said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Achal Singh Deora stated that the tempo traveller, travelling at high speed, rammed into a stationary truck on the roadside, leaving the vehicle completely mangled. The impact was so severe that several passengers were trapped inside the wreckage.
Rescue operations were immediately launched by police teams, local residents, and passing motorists to extract those trapped and assist the injured.
“The bodies were stuck in the seats due to the force of the collision. We faced great difficulty in removing them,” said Phalodi Police Station Officer Amanaram.
Jodhpur Police Commissioner Om Prakash Mathuradas Mathur and Superintendent Vikas Rajpurohit visited the hospital to assess the treatment facilities and review the medical arrangements for the injured.
Rescue and relief operations continued late into the night as officials worked to identify the victims and notify their families.
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Chief Minister condoles deaths
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the tragic road accident. “The loss of life in the road accident in the Matoda area of Phalodi is deeply tragic and heartbreaking.
District administration officials have been instructed to ensure proper treatment for all the injured. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured,” he said.
Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also offered his condolences, saying he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the deaths.
He posted on social media, “I have just received news in Patna that 18 people have died in a road accident in Matoda, Phalodi. I am deeply saddened to hear this. I pray to God to grant all the deceased a place in His feet, give courage to their families, and grant a speedy recovery to the injured.”
The authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash.
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