11 Killed In Bus Accident In Madhya Pradesh's Betul

At least 11 people have been killed in a bus accident in Madhya Pradesh's Betul.

11 Killed In Bus Accident In Madhya Pradesh's Betul

At least 11 people lost their lives in a bus accident after it collided with a car near the Jhallar police station in Madhya Pradesh's Betul. One injured person has been admitted to a hospital, Betul SP Simala Prasad told news agency ANI.

Betul, Madhya Pradesh | 11 people died in a bus accident which collided with a car near Jhallar police station. One injured person has been admitted to a hospital: SP Betul Simala Prasad pic.twitter.com/aNPQmt5VIF

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) November 4, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.

In a tweet quoting Modi, his office said, "Pained by the loss of lives due to an accident in Betul, MP. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured."

The accident occurred on Bhainsdehi road, about 36 km from the district headquarters around 2 am, Betul police control room assistant sub-inspector Shivraj Singh Thakur told PTI.

"Six men, three women, a five-year-old girl and a one-and-a-half-year-old boy died on the spot in the accident," he said.

Jhallar police station in-charge Deepak Parashar said all 11 occupants of the SUV died in the accident.

According to police, the deceased were labourers, who were returning home here from Amravati in neighbouring Maharashtra.

The severity of the accident was such that the front portion of the SUV was completely damaged and got stuck to the bus. The bodies of some of the victims had to be extricated from the mangled remains of the SUV with the help of gas cutters, Thakur said.

The bodies were later sent for post-mortem.

Primary investigation suggests that the accident took place after the driver of the SUV lost control over the vehicle due to sleep, police said.

The driver of the bus was arrested and further investigation is underway, they said.

Betul collector Amanbir Singh Bains said he has asked the doctors to expedite the autopsy process and send the bodies of the victims to their native places.

The district administration has also initiated the process to provide financial assistance to the kin of the victims in the accident, he said.

Nine of the victims were in the age group of 25 to 48, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)