Bihar bus accident: 27 feared charred to death; Modi, Nitish condole loss

Bihar bus accident: There is a provision to give compensation of Rs 400,000 to the next of kin of dead

At least 27 people were feared dead when a bus, carrying at least 32 passengers, fell into a roadside pit and caught fire in Bihar's East Champaran district on Thursday, Disaster Management Department minister Dinesh Chandra Yadav said, according to media reports. The bus was on its way to Delhi from Muzaffarpur.

The incident took place on NH-28 near Belwa village under Kotwa police station area, about 30 kilometres from Motihari, the district headquarters.

The private air-conditioned bus had begun its journey at Muzaffarpur, about 85 km from Motihari.

The fire incinerated the bus and nobody could be retrieved so far.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (Sadar), Murli Manohar Manjhi and Officer on Special Duty to District Magistrate Ajeet Kumar, "six to eight" persons had managed to come out of the bus, which was engulfed in flames, by smashing the window panes.

National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams have been rushed to the spot and hospitals in Motihari & Muzaffarpur districts put on alert. The injured are being treated for injuries at a hospital, the officials, who were supervising rescue work at the spot, said.

PM Modi, Nitish Kumar condole loss of lives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled the loss of lives in a road accident in Bihar. "My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones due to a bus accident in Motihari. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest," the Prime Minister was quoted as saying by the PMO.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar mourned the tragedy while addressing a function organised by the state transport department in Patna by observing one-minute silence. “It is a really painful incident, local administration officials are present at the spot. We will extend all possible help to the families of those who died,” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, according to news agency PTI.

State minister for disaster management Dinesh Chandra Yadav had expressed apprehension that more than 20 people could have been killed in the incident.

People rush to the spot where a bus overturned in Bihar

However, some of the surviving passengers told regional news channels that "only 13 passengers, besides the driver and a helper", were inside the vehicle when the incident took place.

They said a total of 32 passengers had booked their seats in the private bus, out of whom only 13 had boarded at Muzaffarpur and the remaining were likely to catch the vehicle at Gopalganj.

"It is a really sad incident. There is a provision to give compensation of Rs 400,000 to the next of kin of dead in such cases and it will be given, "said Bihar Disaster Management and Relief Minister on Motihari bus accident, according to ANI.