Bus fell into a river trying to cross a bridge.
By Sreekanth A Nair
At least 15 people were killed and 38 people suffered critical injuries when a bus plunged into a river from a bridge in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.
The accident happened at around 6.30 am Tuesday morning, when the bus carrying a marriage party was going to Parasia from Indore. The bus driver lost control of the bus while it was crossing a bridge.
Reports said the rescue operation was carried out with the help of local people. There are reports stating that the bus driver was inexperienced.
“Fifteen people were killed in the mishap and 38 seriously injured. They were admitted in a private hospital at Bhopal and Hoshangabad, respectively,” Hoshangabad division commissioner VK Batham told the Press Trust of India.
The deceased have been identified as Baby Pareta, Manju Varma, Om Prakash, Ashok Kulhara, Hariom Pareta, Radha Garhwal, Mahesh Varma, Jyoti Doliya, Kaushalya Verma, Gullo Dolia, Arun Garhwal, Ratan Garhwal, Vishnu Prasad Garhwal, Anuradha Parwal and Gayatri Verma, Batham said.
District collector Sanket Bhondve along with other higher officials rushed to the accident spot and supervised the rescue operation. The police have started an investigation.
The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, expressed condolences over the accident and announced a relief of Rs. 1.5 lakh each to the family of deceased, Rs. 50,000 to those who suffered serious injuries and Rs. 25,000 to those suffered minor injuries.