Mass cremation of 21 people killed in Bundi bus accident

A mass cremation of 21 bodies out of the total 24 people killed in Wednesday morning's bus accident in Bundi took place in the Kishorepura ground here in a heart-wrenching sight.

While the 21 bodies were brought to the Kishorepura cremation ground in a funeral procession in the evening, two were sent to Palaytha village of Baran district and the Srinathpuram area of Kota city. The body of a 4-year-old child was buried.

A private bus carrying a wedding party fell into a river on the Kota-Dausa highway in Bundi district in the morning. Besides those killed, five people were injured.

The wedding party was headed for Sawai Madhopur from Kota. The bus plunged into the Mej river from a bridge that had no wall or railing. Thirteen people died on the spot, including the driver, while the others succumbed to injuries en route to a hospital.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla landed in Kota in a helicopter from New Delhi to attend the cremation. State Health Minister Raghu Sharma, Kota district Minister In-charge Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Kota District Collector Om Kasera and other district officials were also present.

Former minister Babulal Verma, who reached the area to take stock of the situation and speak to the bereaved families, faced the ire of the public which forced him to flee.

Stones were pelted at his car by an angry mob that alleged that he had done no work during his tenure as a former minister representing the area.

Locals claimed the accident could have been avoided had the highway been built properly and the bridge had safety railings.