A bus carrying a wedding party crashed into a river yesterday in Rajasthan killing 24 passengers, including 10 women, police said.
The driver lost control as the bus, with 28 people on board, was crossing a bridge, according to Bundi district police superintendent Shrivaj Meena.
“The bus was carrying a marriage party from Kota. The bus fell off a bridge,” Meena said.
Villagers and rescue workers were seen in images broadcast from the scene trying to retrieve bodies from the river as the bus lay upside down in the water.
Five passengers were injured.
“The bus fell some 10m into the river. Most victims, that include two children died on the spot,” police officer Suresh Gurjar said.
The injured were hospitalised and reported to be stable, Gurjar said. The survivors said the tyre of the bus came off while it was crossing the bridge as a result of which the driver lost control.
Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal expressed shock over the accident.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted: “I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic accident in #Bundi in which about 25 people have lost lives after the bus fell into river Mej. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loves ones in this tragedy. I wish speedy recovery to all injured.”
Most of the dead were from one family which belonged to Kota.
India records more than 150,000 road deaths each year which are widely blamed on badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
Last month, 26 people were killed when a bus collided with an auto-rickshaw and fell into a well in western India.
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