KOTA: In a tragic accident, as many as 24 people of a wedding party were killed and five critically injured after a private bus fell into Mej river near Papdi village on Kota-Dausa highway under Lakheri police station in Bundi on Wednesday morning.
While 13 people died on the spot, others succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital in Lakheri town. The deceased included 11 women and three children. The wedding party was on its way to Sawai Madhopur city to offer ‘bhaat’ (gifts).
“At least 29 persons, including the driver, were in the bus,” DSP Shyamsunder Vishoni said. The accident occurred after the bus lost control while crossing the river at around 9.30am. The vehicle fell from a height of about 20-25 feet.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced a relief of Rs 2 lakh each to kin of the deceased and Rs 40,000 to the injured.
Bundi district collector Antar Singh Nehara told TOI that three of the injured were in a state of trauma and have been sent to a hospital in Kota. Two of the injured were discharged after primary medical care, he added.
Mechanical failure is likely to have caused the accident, officials said. Two people, who escaped unhurt from the accident, said the bus lost control and fell into the river after a wheel detached from it, the district collector said.
The family of one of the survivors, Murli (55), son of Babulal Dhobi, a resident of Basant Vihar, Ganeshpal area of Kota city, was going to Sawai Madhopur along with his relatives to offer gifts for the wedding of his sister’s daughter when the accident occurred.
The four others injured have been identified as Deepak Sindhi (18) son of Narayan; Amit Dhobi (35); Kannu alias Teena (13), daughter of Suresh; and Manju (35), wife of Mahavir Dhobi, said sub-inspector Rajendra Kumar, Lakheri police station.
Deepak and Amit have been discharged while the three others are undergoing treatment, he said.
Police received information at around 9.45am and a 13-member squad from the Lakheri police station rushed to the spot.
Villagers nearby had started rescue operations after they heard the sound of the bus falling into the river. Amit Dhobi was the first survivor to come out of the bus trapped in deep waters, said SI Rajendra Kumar. He helped identify the spot where the bus fell.
“We found villagers pulling out people from the water with the help of ropes. We joined the rescue operation,” Kumar said.
The rescue effort lasted around 90 minutes and the bodies of all the deceased were retrieved from the bus. The vehicle was pulled out from the river bed in the afternoon.
The actual reason for the accident can be ascertained only after conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, the DSP said.
The post-mortem of the deceased was carried out at the Lakheri government hospital. The bodies were sent to Kota to be handed over to respective families.
While 13 people died on the spot, others succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital in Lakheri town. The deceased included 11 women and three children. The wedding party was on its way to Sawai Madhopur city to offer ‘bhaat’ (gifts).
“At least 29 persons, including the driver, were in the bus,” DSP Shyamsunder Vishoni said. The accident occurred after the bus lost control while crossing the river at around 9.30am. The vehicle fell from a height of about 20-25 feet.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced a relief of Rs 2 lakh each to kin of the deceased and Rs 40,000 to the injured.
Bundi district collector Antar Singh Nehara told TOI that three of the injured were in a state of trauma and have been sent to a hospital in Kota. Two of the injured were discharged after primary medical care, he added.
Mechanical failure is likely to have caused the accident, officials said. Two people, who escaped unhurt from the accident, said the bus lost control and fell into the river after a wheel detached from it, the district collector said.
The family of one of the survivors, Murli (55), son of Babulal Dhobi, a resident of Basant Vihar, Ganeshpal area of Kota city, was going to Sawai Madhopur along with his relatives to offer gifts for the wedding of his sister’s daughter when the accident occurred.
The four others injured have been identified as Deepak Sindhi (18) son of Narayan; Amit Dhobi (35); Kannu alias Teena (13), daughter of Suresh; and Manju (35), wife of Mahavir Dhobi, said sub-inspector Rajendra Kumar, Lakheri police station.
Deepak and Amit have been discharged while the three others are undergoing treatment, he said.
Police received information at around 9.45am and a 13-member squad from the Lakheri police station rushed to the spot.
Villagers nearby had started rescue operations after they heard the sound of the bus falling into the river. Amit Dhobi was the first survivor to come out of the bus trapped in deep waters, said SI Rajendra Kumar. He helped identify the spot where the bus fell.
“We found villagers pulling out people from the water with the help of ropes. We joined the rescue operation,” Kumar said.
The rescue effort lasted around 90 minutes and the bodies of all the deceased were retrieved from the bus. The vehicle was pulled out from the river bed in the afternoon.
The actual reason for the accident can be ascertained only after conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, the DSP said.
The post-mortem of the deceased was carried out at the Lakheri government hospital. The bodies were sent to Kota to be handed over to respective families.
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