Baharampur: At least three people were killed and 30 went missing after a bus fell into the Bhairab river in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Monday morning.
Police said the incident took place around 6am. Around 50 people are believed to have been travelling in the bus.
“We fear the death toll could cross 30. Our officers on the ground are working hard to provide all assistance to the family members of the victims,” a senior police officer said. Divers and hydraulic cranes were pressed into action to fish out the bus from the river.
Meanwhile, angry protesters ransacked a police vehicle and torched it.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, other ministers and senior bureaucrats cut short their events in Kolkata and rushed to the accident site in a helicopter.
“It is an unfortunate incident and I am personally going there to monitor the situation. I have asked officials to intensify their rescue operation. I have announced Rs 5 Lakh ex-gratia for the next of the kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for critically injured victims and Rs 50,000 for those who received minor injuries,” Mamata said.
An eyewitness said the bus, which was headed to Baharampur from Karimpur, was moving at a high speed and lost control while trying to swerve in the face of a speeding lorry coming from the opposite direction. The vehicle crashed onto the railing of the bridge and fell into the river.
Locals allege that the bridge was in urgent need of repair and its railings were dilapidated. They also said that the district administration took a long time to respond.
Comments
0 comment