Four people were killed and 18 others injured after a truck rammed into a bus in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Sunday, police said. The accident took place at around 2 am near a temple off the Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway, they said.

As the private passenger bus heading from Satara to Dombivli in Thane reached near the Swaminarayan temple, a truck coming from behind rammed into it, a police official said. Three bus passengers and the truck driver were killed, while 18 passengers received injuries, he said. Prima facie, the truck driver lost control over the vehicle and as a result it hit the bus, the official said.

After being alerted, a medical emergency services team reached the spot and provided assistance to the victims. Thirteen injured passengers were rushed to various hospitals in Pune, including the Navale Hospital, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Sassoon Hospital. The other injured passengers were admitted to nearby hospitals, officials said.

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Pune Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Ayush Prasad said driver fatigue was a significant issue which needed to be addressed to prevent such accidents.”It is essential that all citizens take necessary precautions when driving during night hours. Get adequate rest before your journey, take regular breaks and be mindful of other drivers on the road,” he said.

Prasad also stressed on the importance of reporting rash and negligent driving to the police. “If you notice someone driving in a rash manner, maintain a safe distance and call the police to report it,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)