Bathinda (Punjab), Dec 27 (PTI) Eight people were killed and more than 20 injured on Friday, when a bus crashed through the railing of a bridge and plunged into a drain a few feet below in this Punjab district, police said.
The bus had more than 45 passengers and it fell into the Lasara drain in Jeewan Singhwala village, officials said.
The accident occurred when the bus was on its way to Bathinda from Talwandi Sabo. Locals rushed to the spot immediately to help the passengers, the officials said, adding that eight people, including five women, were killed.
Police and district administration officials launched a rescue operation and rushed the injured people to a hospital. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team also reached the spot to provide assistance, the officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident. “Saddened by the loss of lives in the bus accident in Bathinda, Punjab. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” he said in a post on X.
Modi also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
According to the officials, the weather in the area was inclement. However, the exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained and investigations are on.
The drain in which the bus fell is currently a carrier of sewage water, which made the rescue operations difficult.
Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray, who reached the spot to supervise the rescue operations, said medical teams and ambulances were rushed to the spot.
While five people were killed on the spot, three succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
More than 20 people were injured in the accident, police said.
Bathinda Urban MLA Jagroop Singh Gill visited the civil hospital here, where the injured were taken.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a post on X, said a team of the state administration reached the spot after the accident and the injured were rushed to a hospital.
“I pray to God for peace to the departed souls and a speedy recovery of the injured passengers,” Mann said.
Former Punjab chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amarinder Singh, in a post on X, said: “Deeply saddened by the tragic bus accident in Bathinda, that has claimed 8 lives and injured 26.
“My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. May they find strength in this difficult time and I pray for the quick recovery of all injured.” PTI COR SUN RC
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