Murshidabad bus accident: Driver was busy talking on mobile, death toll rises to 36

At least 36 persons, including nine women and two kids died after a bus fell into a canal in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. The accident happened early on Monday morning as a state transport corporation bus travelling from Karimpur in Nadia to Malda district broke the railing of Balighat bridge at Daulatabad area in Murshidabad district and fell into the canal.

The bus was carrying 56 passengers and while some managed to swim across the canal, most of them were trapped inside the drowned bus. District TMC youth leader Soumik Hossain said, “So far 36 bodies have been recovered and another nine were injured. That leaves another 11 persons who are missing.”

Area locals had started agitation alleging delay in rescue operations and in the process damaged and burnt a police vehicle as well as a rescue van. Later police had to resort to mild lathicharge and firing of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

Some of the passengers who managed to escape with minor injuries said that the driver was busy talking on his mobile phone while the bus was travelling at a high speed and had only one of his hands on the steering when the accident happened.

At the …read more