At least 36 killed as bus overturns in India's Uttarakhand state
Bus travelling from Garhwal was headed to town of Ramnagar, with at least 42 passengers on board
November 04, 2024
LUCKNOW: At least 36 people were killed and six were injured after a bus plunged into a gorge in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Monday, an official told Reuters.
The bus was travelling from Garhwal in the Himalayas and was headed to the town of Ramnagar, with at least 42 passengers on board, Devendra Pincha, a local police officer said by phone.
Visuals from ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake, showed an overturned bus lying beside a river at the base of a hill.
State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on X an inquiry would be carried out into the cause of the incident.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences for the families of the victims and announced compensation of $2,378 for them, according to BBC.
Buses in India are a common means of transportation, especially between smaller towns and districts.
They are also affordable for the poor of the country and operators often bypass safety of the passengers and overcrowd buses beyond their capacity.
Moreover, 160,000 people are killed in road accidents in the country every year. The number is the highest in the world and most accidents occur due to speeding and reckless driving.
Additional input from Reuters.
