Madhya Pradesh: 13 dead as bus falls into Narmada river
In a tragic incident, a bus going from Indore to Pune fell into the Narmada river in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on Monday. The bus, carrying 40-50 passengers, skid off the Kalaghat bridge, and fell from a height of 100 feet. At least 13 died in the accident, and 15 have been rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Bus broke the bridge's railing
The Maharashtra Roadways bus skid off the Kalaghat bridge, located about 90 kilometers from Indore, on Monday morning. A crane was used to pull the bus out of the water which had completely submerged into the raging Narmada river. "The accident may have occurred due to a brake or steering failure," MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, adding that rescue operations are going on.
Bus fell from a height of 100 feet
Rs 10 lakh ex gratia for kins of the deceased
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for families of those who died in the accident. Thirteen bodies have been recovered and 5 of the deceased have been identified, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. The Chief Ministers also spoke with each other to make arrangements for transporting the bodies of the deceased to Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief
"The bus tragedy in Dhar is saddening. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. Rescue work is underway and local authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected," said PM Narendra Modi.
Heart full of sorrow and pain: CM Chouhan
CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed grief for the lives lost in the accident and said, "Heart is full of sorrow and pain. I am with bereaved families in this time of grief." Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, and BJP Chief JP Nadda also expressed condolences on Twitter. "Pray for the speedy recovery of injured passengers," Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said.
