Seven killed as bus plunges into rain-fed Richhan river in Madhya Pradesh

The driver of the bus, who is untraceable has been booked under Section 304A of IPC for causing death by negligence and efforts are on to track and nab him.
The bus plunged into the rain-fed Richhan river in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh (Photo | EPS)
The bus plunged into the rain-fed Richhan river in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh (Photo | EPS)

BHOPAL: Seven passengers, including a man and his one-year-old son were killed, while 18 other passengers were hurt when the bus they were boarding plunged into the rain-fed Richhan river in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday-Thursday night.

The state government announced compensation of Rs four lakh each to the seven bereaved families, while immediate financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each was released by the Red Cross for all these families. Also, a sum of Rs 7500 each was announced by the government for the critically hurt passengers and Rs 5000 each to the other injured.

According to Raisen district police superintendent Monika Shukla, the driver of the bus, who is untraceable has been booked under Section 304A of IPC for causing death by negligence and efforts are on to nab him.

Meanwhile, state’s transport minister Govind Singh Rajput said a probe has been ordered into the mishap. State’s school education minister Prabhuram Choudhary, who is the Congress MLA from Sanchi constituency of Raisen district met the injured hospitalized in Raisen.

The accident happened when the private bus operated by Om Sai Travels was on way to Chhatarpur district from Indore via Bhopal on Wednesday late night.

Just when the bus boarded by 40-45 passengers reached near a dargah, it overturned twice after hitting a road divider and plunged into the rain-fed Richhan river after breaking the railing of the bridge at around 1.30 am, one of the survivors Pankaj Soni.

Coming to know about the mishap, local residents rushed to the spot and informed about it to police, after which police personnel, SDERF personnel and home guards reached there and joined commoners in the rescue operations.

While six bodies were retrieved from the bus in the river, another passenger died at the hospital later. 19 injured were brought to the Raisen district hospital from where 11 seriously injured passengers were referred to Bhopal.

The deceased included a 22-year-old man Ravi Bansal and his one-year-old son Deepak. Ravi’s wife Pinky (20) is among the seriously injured passengers being treated in Bhopal. The Bansal family hailed from Chhatarpur district.

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