8 killed, 26 injured as bus plunges into drain in Punjab’s Bathinda

Locals rushed to the spot immediately and launched rescue operations. On getting the information, police and district administration reached the spot while a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also called in.

SSP Amneet Kondal said, “Administration and police parties reached the spot immediately and a rescue operation was carried out with the help of local volunteers. A NDRF team was also called and reached the spot”.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray, who reached the spot to supervise the rescue operation, confirmed the deaths of eight people. He said, “As per information received, a tractor trolley was coming from the opposite direction. While the tractor-trolley crossed the bridge, the bus driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed through the railing”.

While five people were killed on the spot, three succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of many people in a bus accident in Bathinda. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray to God for a speedy recovery of the injured,” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X

“Saddened by the loss of lives…Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” PM Modi said in a post on X. Modi also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.

One of the rescued passengers said the weather was inclement in the area. He said the bus skidded off the bridge following thunderstorm and lightning.

The dead included include Amandeep Kaur (30) of Jiwan Singhwala, her 2-year old daughter Puneet Kaur, and a relative Mukhtiar Kaur (55). The accident spot is just about a kilometre from the Jiwan Singhwala village from where they had boarded the vehicle.

The other victims included, Mahinder Singh, a physically challenged person, and Paramjeet Kaur (25), both from Haryana, Ravneet Kaur (17) of Jandwala village in Fazilka; and Arjun Kumar (35), a migrant from Bihar. The driver was identified as Balkar Singh (52), a resident of Kotdharmu village of Mansa district.

The NDRF team deployed cranes to pull the bus out of the drain. “As of now we will be lodging FIR against unknown persons after taking statements of the injured. All the injured are in stable condition,” said SSP Kondal.

Bathinda Urban MLA Jagroop Singh Gill visited the civil hospital here, where the injured were taken.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a post on X, said a team of the state administration reached the spot after the accident and the injured were rushed to a hospital. “I pray to God for peace to the departed souls and a speedy recovery of the injured passengers,” Mann said.

Former Punjab chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Capt Amarinder Singh, in a post on X, said: “Deeply saddened by the tragic bus accident in Bathinda, that has claimed 8 lives and injured 26. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. May they find strength in this difficult time and I pray for the quick recovery of all injured.”

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal termed the accident as “horrific tragedy”. “My heart goes out to the families who lost their next of kin…The Aam Aadmi Party government should announce an ex-gratia compensation for all the victims immediately,” she said on X.

Asked about any compensation from state government, DC Parray said, “Treatment of all the injured admitted to government hospitals will be taken care of. Two patients shifted to private hospitals of their own will. If they need any financial assistance, we will help them out. The CM may announce any ex-gratia grant”.

The Bathinda administration established a control room with contact numbers – 9780100498 and 9646815951.