Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Four devotees returning from Prayagraj after attending the Maha Kumbh were killed when their car collided with a truck. The accident occurred on the Kanpur-Sagar highway on Friday, police said. The deceased were residents of Bhopal and Rajgarh.

Prima facie suggests that the driver may have slept on the steering wheel while driving, leading to the accident. Police was informed about the accident and the bodies of the deceased were sent for post mortem. A case has been filed and further investigation is underway.

According to the police, the accident took place near Bara Nala in the Srinagar Kotwali area in the early hours of Friday. Superintendent of Police Palash Bansal stated, "Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver may have fallen asleep, causing the car to veer into oncoming traffic and collide with the truck."

The victims have been identified as Naresh Nagar (35), Awadhesh Nagar (35), and Bhura Gurjar (35), all residents of Barkhari Nazirabad, Bhopal, and Pooja Nagar (23), a resident of Arniya Mata in Rajgarh district. Naresh, Awadhesh, and Pooja were relatives, while Bhura Gurjar was the driver.

Three people died on the spot, while Pooja succumbed to her injuries at the district hospital. The police have sent the bodies for post-mortem examination and have seized the truck. However, the truck driver fled the scene. Further investigation is underway.