Seven dead as bus falls into river in MP's Raisen district

Seven persons died and over 30 were injured after a private bus fell into a flooded river in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district in the wee hours of Thursday.

The bus was apparently speeding and the driver lost control while it was passing over a bridge, the police said.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath expressed grief over the incident, and announced aid of Rs four lakh for the kin of each deceased.

The Chhattarpur-bound bus, which had started from Indore, fell into the Richhan river, about 40 km from the state capital Bhopal, around 1.30 am, said Superintendent of Police Monika Shukla.

The river was in spate following continuous rains in the area, said another official.

"Five bodies were recovered in the night. The body of another person was recovered this morning, while one of the injured persons died during treatment in Bhopal, taking the toll to seven," Shukla said.

Eleven seriously injured passengers were admitted to Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal, while eight others were being treated at the district hospital here, she added.

Sixteen others sustained minor injuries.

School Education Minister Prabhuram Chowdhary visited the district hospital and met the injured persons.

District collector Umashankar Bhargava said all the injured were provided Rs 10,000 each by way of immediate help.

The bus fell off the bridge after breaking its side- wall as the driver lost control, Bhargava said.