JODHPUR/JAISALMER: A tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening when a tempo traveller collided with a stationary trailer truck near Matoda village in Phalodi district, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 pilgrims, which included four children and 10 women, while two others sustained injuries. The injured individuals were promptly transported to a hospital in Jodhpur through a green corridor. Shweta Chouhan, the collector of Phalodi district, confirmed the 15 fatalities at the scene. In addition to the women and children, the driver of the tempo also lost his life in the accident, she stated. According to Matoda SHO Amnaram, the ill-fated tempo was transporting pilgrims from the Mali community, who hailed from the Soorsagar area of Jodhpur and were on a pilgrimage to Kolayat in Bikaner district. “They were on their way back to Jodhpur. Near Matoda on the Bharatmala Highway, the speeding tempo crashed into a stationary trailer around 7pm,” he explained, noting that the precise cause of the accident remains unknown. Eyewitness Mahipal Saran reported that trucks are frequently parked haphazardly along the route due to the emergence of small roadside eateries along the Bharatmala Highway. The tempo travelled was reportedly trying to overtake another truck when it struck the stationary trailer parked in front of a dhaba. All passengers were trapped within the mangled vehicle, with many bodies ensnared in the twisted metal and seats. The sound of the impact was so intense that individuals from nearby areas rushed to the scene to initiate a rescue operation. Rescue efforts commenced immediately, with police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local villagers collaborating to extricate the injured and deceased from the wreckage. Two injured passengers were initially taken to Osiyan government hospital but were later referred to a hospital in Jodhpur due to the severity of their injuries. All the deceased have been placed in the mortuary of the Osian government hospital. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed his sorrow over the incident and directed officials to provide all possible assistance to the victims’ families and ensure proper medical care for the injured. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives. In a post on X, he stated, “I have just learned that 15 individuals have lost their lives in a road accident in Matoda, Phalodi. This news deeply saddens my heart. I pray to God to provide a place at His holy feet for all the deceased, to grant strength to their families, and to ensure a swift recovery for the injured.”
Fifteen individuals lost their lives when a tempo traveler collided with a stationary truck in Phalodi
