At least six people were killed, and more than 20 others were injured after a luxury bus travelling from Rajasthan to Surat, Gujarat, crashed into the rear of a truck on the Vadodara-Halol highway near Kotambi village in the early hours of Wednesday, police said.
The accident occurred at around 4 a.m. near Kotambi Stadium when the bus, which was carrying passengers from Banswara in Rajasthan to Surat, rammed into a truck that had stopped on the roadside.
According to police, the truck driver had parked the vehicle while checking tyre pressure when the speeding bus collided with it from behind.
The impact severely damaged the front portion of the bus, trapping several passengers inside the wreckage. Local residents and passing motorists rushed to the scene and alerted emergency services.
Officials said six people died in the collision, while around 20 others sustained injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Most of the passengers on board were from Rajasthan.
Rescue teams from the Vadodara Fire Brigade, including personnel from the Panigate Fire Station and the Emergency Response Centre, reached the site shortly after the accident.
Police from Jarod police station also responded and began rescue and traffic management operations.
Given the extent of the damage, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to assist in the rescue effort.
Firefighters used a JCB machine to separate the bus and truck, while rescue personnel cut through the mangled metal of the bus to free trapped passengers.
Officials said 26 passengers were injured in the crash and admitted to Vadodara Civil Hospital and nearby private hospitals. At least five of the injured were reported to be in a serious condition.
The accident led to a traffic jam stretching four to five kilometres along the highway as emergency services worked to clear the wreckage and assist victims.
Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
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