According to the police, the accident occurred near Jaypur on the Bishnupur-Tarakeswar road while the bus driver was trying to save three cyclists coming from the opposite direction.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus almost appeared to run over the three cyclists, who were heading for the Jaypur market to sell vegetables. To avoid an accident, the bus driver took a sharp right turn and rammed into a tree.
All the injured were admitted to the Bishnupur sub-divisional hospital, but five critically injured were later shifted to the Bankura Medical College and Hospital.
The victims have been identified as Shantanu Dutta, Ajmir Bayen, Haradhan Karmakar and five-year-old Moumita Karmakar.