Bodies of 26 men, 21 women and a kid have been recovered so far
Total 48 bodies were fished out of a 30-feet deep canal in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday after a bus plunged into it in the morning. Reports suggest more than 50 passengers were on board in the ill-fated bus having capacity of 32. It was on way to Satna from Sidhi.
Official sources said the rescue operation was still on. The bus carrying more than 50 passengers had fallen into a canal of Banganga dam near Patna village under Rampur Naikin police station of Sidhi district around 8.20 am.
IG Rewa Range Umesh Joga said, “A total of 48 bodies, including 26 men, 21 women and a kid have been recovered so far. Search operation is still going on.” He further said seven persons had managed to come ashore by swimming.
The bus sunk completely and it took three hours for divers to locate it underneath water. Then it was pulled out using cranes, said sources.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed grief over the incident and sent Cabinet Ministers Tulsi Silawat and Ramkhilawan Patel to the spot.
Tulsi said, “This incident is really unfortunate. I am very distressed and sad. Seven people have been rescued. Relief work is in progress. Bodies are being fished out of the canal. The Chief Minister paid homage to the departed souls and prayed to God to grant them peace.”
Chouhan informed that instructions have been given to provide immediate assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased. “We are with the families of the victims in this time of grief. My appeal is to be patient. I, the State Government and the entire public is with you,” Chief Minister Chouhan said and instructed Collector Sidhi to start all possible relief work. Instructions have also been given to immediately stop water from Bansagar dam, he added.
Besides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has cancelled the ‘grih pravesh’ ceremony to be attended virtually by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in view of the Tuesday’s Sidhi bus accident in which many passengers are feared drowned.
The cancellation of the event, which was scheduled to start at 11 am at Minto Hall in Bhopal, was announced by Chouhan after he reached the venue.
Shah was scheduled to take part via video conferencing in this programme for the beneficiaries of over one lakh houses constructed in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The CM also cancelled the scheduled Cabinet meeting at State Mantralaya.
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 | Staff Reporter | Bhopal
