Hyderabad: As many as seven pilgrims returning to Hyderabad from Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj died in a collision in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. The pilgrims were the residents of Nacharam.

The accident occurred on the national highway between Mohla and Bargi villages at Sihora in Jabalpur district. The mini bus with the pilgrims collided with a truck carrying cement. Due to the high-impact collision, seven devotees died on the spot while other two persons succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

According to officials, the incident took place at around 8.30 am near Sihora town. The truck laden with cement bags was heading on the highway from the side of the road at the time of accident.

The residents of Nacharam had gone to Prayagraj to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam and were returning home after the rituals. Those who were killed were identified as Anand, Shashi, Ravi, Prasad, Mallareddy, Balakrishna and Raju, and the two injured are Naveen and Santosh.

Following the incident, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed grief over the death of persons from Hyderabad in the road mishap. Following directions from the CM’s office, Rangareddy District Collector reached out to the family members of the deceased and discussed the arrangements to bring the bodies home.

Meanwhile, a team of Nacharam police visited the houses of the pilgrims who were killed.