Madhya Pradesh Bus Accident Kills 30 Passengers After Vehicle Falls Into Canal Near Sidhi

Feb 16, 2021, 13:16 IST

BREAKING: In a horrific accident, more than 30 people died, when the bus they were travelling in fell into a 30-feet deep canal in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday morning.

As per latest reports, rescue operations are still on, 30 bodies have been retrieved so far , and seven passengers swam to the banks of the canal. Reports suggest that around 54 passengers were onboard the bus that was going from Sidhi to Satna.

The driver of the private bus is said to have lost control of the vehicle which fell into the Sharda canal in Rampur police station area and was completely submerged by the time help could be reached.

Meanwhile the Madhya Pradesh government has cancelled the 'grih pravesh' or house-warming ceremony to be attended virtually by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in view of the bus accident.The event which was scheduled to start at 11 am at Minto Hall here, by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan after he reached the venue. The programme was intended for the beneficiaries of over one lakh houses constructed in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

What has happened is extremely tragic. Rescue work is already on. Two ministers are on their way to the site. Families of those who have died will be given a compensation of ₹ 5 lakh. The entire state is standing with those affected," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan 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

Equipment, including cranes, were brought to the spot. A team of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) personnel and divers have been deployed for the rescue operations which are currently underway to recover the remaining bodies.