At least three pilgrims died and 32 were injured on Mathura-Delhi Yamuna Expressway on Wednesday when their bus rammed into a stationary truck carrying construction material.

Sixty pilgrims were returning from Mathura's Govardhan to the national capital's Shahdara in the bus.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed deep grief over the death of three people in the accident in Naujheel area of Mathura. He directed the local officers to ensure best medical treatment to all those injured in the mishap.

The injured have been admitted to the district hospital and the condition of six of them is stated to be critical.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Shreesh Chandra said, “The accident took place on Tuesday night near Bajna cut in Naujheel police station area at around 11:45 am. The bus with registration number UP 17AT 1785 rammed into a stationary truck. The pilgrims had left from Delhi to Mathura on Tuesday morning. They were returning to Delhi after paying obeisance to the deity when the accident took place leading to the death of three pilgrims and injuries to about three dozen others. There were devotees in the bus who were returning after darshan of Giriraj Maharaj of Govardhan.

The SP said that the front part of the bus was completely damaged by the impact of the collision and the devotees sitting in the front of the bus sustained serious injuries. He said that three devotees died on the spot.

The injured were first taken to the community health centre at Naujheel from where about two dozen injured were referred to Kailash Hospital in Noida and six to the district hospital.

Police identified the deceased as Manak Chandra (55), a resident of Ram Nagar, Shahdara in Delhi, Subhash Chandra Sharma (60), a resident of Mansarovar Park, Shahdara, Delhi and Harpal Singh, hailing from Gubrari locality.

The bodies were sent for post-mortem.

Meanwhile in Bhadohi, an SUV collided with a truck in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving three members of a marriage party dead and 15 others injured, police said.

The SUV was carrying a marriage party from Pakri village to Amvakhurd village when the accident took place, a police official said.

Locals rushed the injured to the Maharaja Balwant Singh government hospital in the district from where seven were referred to a trauma centre in Varanasi. The condition of some of those referred to Varanasi was said to be critical.