A bus crash in eastern India left at least 18 Hindu pilgrims dead, a local lawmaker said Tuesday. 

What do we know so far?

The crash occurred in the city of Deoghar in the India state of Jharkhand.

The bus carrying the pilgrims collided with a truck loaded with gas cylinders, killing the religious devotees onboard.  

"18 devotees lost their lives due to a bus and truck accident," local Jharkhand lawmaker Nishikant Dubey wrote on social media platform X.

Dubey is a member of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Deoghar is a considered a holy city for Hindus in Jharkhand and is the location of a major temple. The city receives an influx of visitors during the sacred month of Shravan. 

Modi laments 'extremely tragic' accident

Modi also commented on the accident, calling it "extremely tragic." He expressed his "deepest condolences" to the families of the victims.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said authorities are "providing relief and rescue operations along with medical facilities for the injured." It's unclear how many people survived the crash, but Indian media reported that the bus has 32 seats. 

India's roads are considered some of the world's deadliest, with speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road seen as the top reasons for accidents. 

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah