MP highway crash: 5 killed, 20 hurt after bus collides with bulker; PM Modi mourns deaths

NEW DELHI: At least five people were killed and around 20 injured after a passenger bus collided with a bulker truck, on National Highway 39 near Badwar stand in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district on Wednesday.The collision sent the bus off the road and into a roadside ditch, district collector and district magistrate Narendra Kumar Suryavanshi told news agency ANI.“The collision between the bus and the other vehicle, a ‘capsule’ [tanker], occurred at a spot about 4 kilometres ahead of Gurh. In this incident, the bus fell into a roadside ditch. Immediately, the Superintendent of Police (SP), the entire administration, medical teams, local villagers, and public representatives reached the site. Everyone here worked with sensitivity during the rescue operation,” Suryavanshi told ANI.Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident and offered condolences to the families of those killed.“The loss of lives due to a mishap in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh is saddening. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the swift recovery of the injured: PM,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) India said in a post on X.Giving a preliminary account of the casualties, the district magistrate said, “The rough estimate is that 20 people are injured and five have died. Everyone is engaged in the rescue operation.”The injured were being attended to as rescue operations continued at the crash site. Police and district administration officials were overseeing the response, with medical teams and local residents assisting in the rescue effort.Vice president CP Radhakrishnan also expressed condolences, saying, “Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the tragic road accident in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for strength and solace to them in this hour of grief. I also pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.