Bus tragedy in MP: Four officials suspended

Madhya Pradesh Chief MinisterShivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday night suspended theRegional Transport Officer (RTO) of Sidhi district and threeofficials of the MP Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) after51 persons lost their lives in a bus accident.

''I am suspending MPRDC's divisional manager, AGM andmanager,'' Chouhan told reporters at Sidhi on Wednesday night.

''Sixty-two passengers were traveling in a 32-seaterbus. Who was responsible for this? So the concerned RTO isalso being suspended. Action will be taken against others whoare responsible for the incident too,'' he added.

The accident took place on Tuesday morning near Patnavillage, 80 km from the Sidhi district headquarters, when abus heading from Sidhi to Satna fell into a canal which ispart of the Bansagar dam project.

The death toll went up to 51 with the recovery of fourmore bodies on Wednesday.

Chouhan met bereaved families of victims during theday and offered condolences besides handing over cheques offinancial assistance of Rs seven lakh.

He reached Rampur Naikin at around 2 pm and met thefamily members of Atharv Gupta and Vimala Dwivedi who losttheir lives in the accident. He also visited Churhat,Pachokhar, Padariya, Kukdijhar, Budhraha and some othervillages to meet the kin of the deceased.

Sources said the 38-seater bus -- 32-seater by someaccounts -- had diverted from its permitted route to avoidtraffic jams and bad roads.

Meanwhile, bus driver Balendu Vishwakarma, who hasbeen detained, claimed while speaking to reporters that heheard a strange sound before the bus plunged into the water.

''The bus left at 5.30 am from Sidhi and reached theaccident site at around 7.30 am. I heard a sound before itskidded into the canal,'' he said.

He was apprehended on Wednesday morning from adjoiningSatna district.

Asked about the number of passengers inside, he saidhe didn't count, but the number should be around 55.

The bus was 32-seater, he said.

He was rescuedby some people and reached Satna afterwalking some distance and taking another bus, he said.