Raipur, March 6 : Five persons were killed and more than 20 others injured in a road accident in Chhattisgarhâ??s Jashpur district on Friday. The incident involved a passenger bus en route to Kunkuri from Kurdeg in neighbouring Jharkhand that reportedly lost control and overturned.

According to police officials, the bus, bearing registration number CG 14 G 0263, was descending a slope in Godamba village under the Kardegga outpost area at around 9.45 a.m. when its brakes reportedly failed.

A passenger requested the driver to stop the bus, but he was unable to do so as the brakes had given way. Soon after, the vehicle veered out of control and overturned near an under-construction residence belonging to Surendra Sai.

More than two dozen passengers were travelling in the bus at the time.

Local residents acted swiftly after hearing the commotion at the accident site. They informed the administration and used earth-moving equipment to clear the bus and rescue trapped passengers. Three ambulances reached the spot and transported the injured to hospitals.

Kunkuri Block Medical Officer K. Kujur confirmed that five passengers died in the crash. The deceased included a husband and wife as well as a father and his infant son.

They were identified as Mahesh Ram (45), son of Rathu Ram from Makribandha village in Duldula tehsil; his wife Bimla (42) from the same village; Sampati Devi (52), wife of Keshav Ram from Simdega district in Jharkhand; Digeshwar (40), son of Dilbhajan from Dhodhi village in Kurdeg tehsil in Simdega district; and Ghanshyam, a five-month-old infant, son of Digeshwar from the same village.

Collector Rohit Vyas confirmed details of the accident.

The seriously injured, including four critical cases, were referred to Ambikapur Medical College for advanced treatment. Thirteen others are undergoing treatment at medical facilities in Kunkuri and the district hospital.

In a compassionate gesture, Kaushalya Devi Sai, wife of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, visited Kunkuri hospital after learning of the tragedy. She met the injured passengers, enquired about their condition and instructed medical staff to ensure the best possible treatment and necessary facilities.

Authorities are investigating the precise cause of the accident as rescue and relief operations conclude.

/IANS