6 dead, 16 injured as bus falls into river in Meghalaya

At least six people were killed and 16 others injured after a bus fell into a river from a bridge in Meghalayas East Garo Hills district on Thursday, police said.The Meghalaya Transport Corporation bus, travelling from Tura in West Garo Hills district to state capital Shillong, broke the railing of the bridge and plunged into the Ringdi river at Nongchram in the early hours of Thursday.The bus was apparently carrying 24 people and two of them are missing.

At least six people were killed and 16 others injured after a bus fell into a river from a bridge in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district on Thursday, police said.

The Meghalaya Transport Corporation bus, travelling from Tura in West Garo Hills district to state capital Shillong, broke the railing of the bridge and plunged into the Ringdi river at Nongchram in the early hours of Thursday.

The bus was apparently carrying 24 people and two of them are missing. ''Six people died in the accident. Sixteen people were injured and they were hospitalised. Two persons are unaccounted for,'' a senior police officer said.

The driver of the bus is among those who died. After the accident was reported, fire and emergency service personnel reached the site and started a rescue operation.

The search operation was stopped in the evening due to darkness in the area and it will resume on Friday for the two missing persons, the officer said.

The bus is still inside the river. It was not clear how the accident occurred.

Nine passengers from Tura and 12 from Williamnagar, the district headquarters of East Garo Hills, had boarded the bus. Family members of the victims have been informed of the accident.