A group of pilgrims set out from Bhopal on a Saturday morning, heading toward the Shyam Devasthan temple, also referred to as Khatooshyaam. The travelers were described as a family from Madhya Pradesh, with some accounts noting that there were twenty-five family members on board. Their journey was meant to be a routine religious trip, but it ended in disaster on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.
On 2026-10-17, the minibus was traveling on the eight-lane expressway when, according to one source, the driver apparently dozed off. This lapse caused the vehicle to veer off the road. Different reports describe what happened next: one says the bus was struck by a police van, another says it fell into a 15-foot deep ditch near Simliya in Kota, and a third says the mini-bus overturned and fell into a drain. Regardless of the exact mechanism, the bus ended up in a deep depression below the roadway.
Tragedy on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. 8 people killed and 17 injured after a bus travelling from Bhopal to Khatu Shyam Ji temple overturned into a ditch near Kota, Rajasthan. Strict enforcement, safer driving and accountability are essential. Om Shanti 🙏 #RoadSafety #Rajasthan
After the crash, rescue teams arrived at the scene. To lift the vehicle out of the ditch, they deployed a crane. The injured were then evacuated to medical facilities. Those with the most serious injuries were taken to MBS Hospital in Kota, while others were sent to the Medical College. The injured were reported to be in critical condition, with many shifted to the intensive care unit for ongoing treatment.
In Kota, within the Simliya Police Station area, the driver apparently dozed off while driving on the eight-lane expressway, causing the bus to fall into a culvert.
Officials provided updates on the situation. DC Piyush Samaria said, "So far, there are still eight ‘brought dead’ cases. All other critical patients have been shifted to the ICU, and their treatment is ongoing. The total number of casualties reported so far is eight." ASP Ram Kalyan Meena added, "Some passengers were travelling from Bhopal to Khatu Shyam Ji in a minibus. In Kota, within the Simliya Police Station area, the driver apparently dozed off while driving on the eight-lane expressway, causing the bus to fall into a culvert. Around eight people have died, while approximately 15 to 17 others are undergoing treatment at the Medical College and MBS Hospital." The Rajasthan Minister of State expressed deep concern, stating, "The injured are in critical condition and have been taken to ICU."
Eight people were confirmed dead. Injury totals vary across sources: some reports cite 23 injured, others 17 injured, and still others 13 injured. Passenger counts also differ: one account says there were 25 passengers, all described as family members from Madhya Pradesh; another says the bus carried 21 total passengers. These numbers reflect the differing early reports that authorities were working to reconcile.
In the immediate aftermath, the Rajasthan Minister of State highlighted the seriousness of the incident, emphasizing the critical condition of the injured and the need for continued medical care. Officials said they were awaiting further details on the exact victim count, the precise number of passengers, and the definitive cause of the crash. The involvement of a police van, the possibility of driver fatigue, and the roadway conditions were all under review as part of the ongoing inquiry.
As of the latest updates, rescue operations have concluded, the injured remain under treatment in intensive care units, and investigators continue to gather information about what led the minibus to leave the expressway and fall into the ditch or drain. The tragedy has drawn attention to safety on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, with officials promising to examine the circumstances that allowed a pilgrim bus to meet such a fate.