Madhya Pradesh: At least 45 dead after bus falls into canal near Satna; magisterial probe ordered, says official

At least 45 are dead after a packed bus veered off the road and fell into a canal near Patna village in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district on Tuesday morning.

According to news agency PTI, Rewa Divisional Commissioner Rajesh Jain — under whose jurisdiction the accident took place — said that rescuers have retrieved 45 bodies from the canal so far.

"A total of 45 bodies — 24 of men, 20 women and a child — have been fished out of the Bansagar canal until now," he said, adding a magisterial probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

According to PTI, Umesh Joga, Inspector General (Rewa) said that at least seven persons swam to safety after the bus landed into the canal near Patna village, around 80 km away from the Sidhi district headquarter, around 8:30 am.

According to The Indian Express, the bus was going from Sidhi to Satna when it fell into the canal in Shardhapathak village. As per the report, Sidhi collector Ravindra Kumar Chowdhary confimed that a four-year-old was among the dead.

According to PTI, eyewitnesses had said that the bus sank completely into the water and was not visible in the morning hours. Later, the water level came down as the district administration stopped the release of water into the canal from the Banganga project.

The bus was then spotted at some distance from the spot where it fell into the water, eyewitnesses said. The bus was retrieved out of the canal with the help of two cranes, officials told the news agency.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, during a meeting of the state Cabinet later in the day, said that the accident occurred around 7.35 am, when the bus went out of control and fell into the Bansagar linked canal which carries water to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The chief minister said that as per the information received till then, that the rescue operations have concluded and added that it was extremely unfortunate that 45 persons had lost their lives. The bodies have been recovered, he said that he had directed that all the bodies be sent to their villages with full respect.

The chief minister said that 39 post mortems had been conducted and 34 bodies had been sent to their villages, and added that the rest were being sent.

मुझे जानकारी दी गई कि सीधी बस दुर्घटना का रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन पूरा हो गया है।

यह दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है कि हमारे 45 भाई-बहनों की इस हादसे में जान चली गई, उनके पार्थिव शरीर निकाले जा चुके हैं। पार्थिव शरीरों को ससम्मान उनके गांव भेजने के निर्देश दे दिये हैं।: सीएम श्री @ChouhanShivraj pic.twitter.com/zKHvqKyfUa

— Office of Shivraj (@OfficeofSSC) February 16, 2021

Chouhan also tweeted that a minute's silence was observed in the meeting of the state cabinet to pray for the souls of the deceased.

सीधी बस दुर्घटना अत्यंत हृदय विदारक है। एक मिनट मौन रहकर कैबिनेट साथियों के साथ दिवंगत आत्माओं की शांति के लिए परमपिता परमात्मा से प्रार्थना की।

आज मंत्रालय में कैबिनेट की बैठक में मंत्रि परिषद के साथियों के साथ भाग लिया।https://t.co/J8gx92ZPje https://t.co/UUtcKwRjZu

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 16, 2021

As per The Indian Express report, search and rescue operations have been called off for now and are set to resume at 5 am on Wednesday.

Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan announce compensation

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and approved an ex gratia of Rs two lakh each.

The Prime Ministers' Office tweeted:

Bus accident in MP’s Sidhi is horrific. Condolences to the bereaved families. The local administration is actively involved in rescue and relief work: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 16, 2021

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the bus accident in Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh. Rs 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured," it said in another tweet.

Chouhan  also condoled the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh for the families of the deceased.

In series of tweets, the chief minister had said he was in constant touch with those involved in the rescue efforts and all necessary arrangements including hydra cranes, ambulances and doctors had been made.

The entire administration, including the commissioner, IG, SP and SDRF teams are engaged in the rescue work, Chouhan had said in a video message.

सीधी की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटना को लेकर मैं लगातार प्रशासन से और राहतकार्य में लगे हुए लोगों से चर्चा कर रहा हूँ।

बहुत दुःखद है कि दुर्घटना में 18 लोगों की जान चली गई है। मन बहुत व्यथित है। बचावकार्य लगातार जारी है; कलेक्टर, कमिश्नर, आईजी, एसपी, एसडीआरएफ की टीम लगी हुई है। pic.twitter.com/TYPKV786Hf

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 16, 2021

"I have also sent Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silawat and MOS for Panchyat Ramkhelawan Patel to the spot in a state plane," Chouhan had said.

The chief minister had also confirmed that seven people had escaped.

सीधी में आज नहर में बस गिरने से बहुत दुखद दुर्घटना हुई है। सात लोग तो सुरक्षित निकल गए थे।

सुबह से ही राहत और बचाव के कार्य प्रारंभ कर दिये गये थे। कलेक्टर, एसपी, कमिश्नर, आईजी सहित एसडीआरएफ की टीम आवश्यक संसाधनों के साथ वहां तत्काल पहुंच गई थी। pic.twitter.com/MTTCOkyWix

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 16, 2021

Sate govt cancels house-warming ceremony

The state government had cancelled the 'grih pravesh' or house-warming ceremony to be attended virtually by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in view of the accident.

The cancellation of the event, which was scheduled to start at 11 am at Bhopal's Minto Hall, was announced by the chief minister after he reached the venue.

मेरे भाइयों-बहनों, आज हम उत्साह से एक लाख घरों में गृह प्रवेश का यह कार्यक्रम संपन्न करने वाले थे, लेकिन सीधी में यात्रियों से भरी बस नहर में गिरने की दुखद सूचना सुबह मिली। राहत और बचाव का कार्य जारी है। ऐसी परिस्थिति में मेरा मन भी वहीं लगा हुआ है। pic.twitter.com/nfeOWLKum5

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 16, 2021

Shah was scheduled to take part via video conferencing in this programme for the beneficiaries of over one lakh houses constructed in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Expressing his condolences to the families of the deceased, Shah said on Twitter that he had spoken to Chouhan and added that he was sending all possible help to the local administration engaged in the rescue and relief works.

My condolences on the passing away of a noted jurist and former governor of Bihar & Jharkhand, Justice M Rama Jois Ji. He made a lasting contribution to Indian judiciary. His efforts in restoring democracy during the 1975 emergency will always be remembered. Om Shanti Shanti.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 16, 2021

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath also expressed grief over the bus tragedy, reported PTI.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he was deeply pained to hear about the tragic bus accident.

Deeply pained to hear about the tragic bus accident resulting in loss of lives in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of victims in this hour of distress.

— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) February 16, 2021

With inputs from PTI