BHOPAL: An overnight Jabalpur-Amarkantak bus overturned on a hillock in Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh, killing six passengers and injuring over 30 others. The accident happened on Jogi Tikaria hillock in Shahpura at around 3 am, possibly when the bus driver dozed off while driving down the slope, SP Dindori Simala Prasad said.
All the deceased are men aged between 20-45 years, mostly from Jabalpur and nearby. Ten critically injured passengers have been admitted to Jabalpur Medical College hospital, while the rest are under treatment at Dindori district hospital.
The bus overturned on the hillock before hitting eucalyptus trees. "Had the bus plunged into the gorge after turning turtle, the death toll would have been much higher," said Prasad.
Two of the six deceased men have been identified as Rohit Sahu and Raju Barman, both from Jabalpur. Dindori district collector Amit Tomar and SP Simala Prasad rushed to the spot on hearing about the incident.
A compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the kin of the deceased was announced by the Dindori collector. Meanwhile, MP minister Omprakash Dhurve met the injured at the Dindori district hospital.