Bengaluru: A private bus carrying passengers fell into a 20 feet canal in Karnataka's Mandya district on Saturday, killing at least 25 people. The bus completely submerged after falling into VC canal at Kanakanamaradi of Pandavapura taluka which mostly had school children in it. It is said that many passengers could not escape from the bus as it fell to its side, trapping the doors on the floor of the canal. The accident spot is about 120 km from Bengaluru on the state highway towards Mysuru after Mandya town.

State Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna and district in-charge C.S. Puttarajau rushed to the accident spot with district Deputy Commissioner N. Manjushri and district Superintendent of Police S.P. Devaraj.

It is reported that the bus was returning home after a half-day at school and around bodies of 23 victims were fished out. Long wails from the grief-stricken inconsolable kin of the victims followed as the rescue teams fished out bodies one after another.

Police had a difficult time controlling the crowd as people living nearby thronged the accident site. Locals said they rescued three people even before the police reached the spot.



"I just came to know that a bus has fallen in a canal and 25 people have died. That is the latest report," said Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, expressing grief over the tragedy. Cancelling all his official engagements, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy rushed to the spot where rescue operations were on in full swing and announced a compensation for Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased.

President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted “Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic bus accident in Mandya, Karnataka. Thoughts and prayers with the bereaved families and with the injured. I understand local authorities are making efforts to rescue and help affected passengers”