A bus driver who allegedly fell asleep at the wheel caused a fatal accident that killed at least 22 people and injured over 30 others.
According to officials, the overcrowded bus fell off a bridge in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, in India at around 8:30 am on Tuesday, May 9, while en route to Indore. Omnarayan Singh, a sub-divisional magistrate, said that at least 22 people died as a result of the accident’s impact, including three children.
The Times of India reported that the bus broke through the bridge’s railing and crashed into a dry riverbed, where several passengers were crushed to death as the bus collided with the dry and rocky terrain.
The driver fled the scene after the crash.
Following the incident, locals immediately conducted a rescue operation and transported the injured to hospitals in tractors and trolleys, with ambulances arriving later.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister, announced monetary compensation of about what amounts to $4,800 in US dollars, for the families of the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the incident and declared financial assistance of $600 for seriously injured individuals and $300 for those with minor injuries from his office’s National Relief Fund.
