Sitamarhi: At least 10 people, including two women and as many children, were today killed when a bus skidded off an elevated highway here, police said, reported news agency Press Trust of India.
The accident occurred near Bhanaspatti village here.
The bus was heading towards the adjoining town of Muzaffarpur. It skidded and came crashing down from the top of NH-77 this afternoon, station house officer of Runnisaidpur Police Station Shivnarayan Ram said.
He said that 10 people were killed and many injured in the accident. Efforts were on to pull them out of the mangled bus.
Soon after the accident, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to next kin of the deceased passengers and also expressed his grief over the accident.
The private bus named Chandan Rath had originated from bus stand under Aurai police station and was destined to reach Bairia bus stand under Ahiyapur police station, both in Muzaffarpur district but part of the route falls under the jurisdiction of Sitamarhi district.
Sitamarhi Superintendent Of Police Hari Prasath S said that ten passengers died on the spot while four more died during treatment at the primary health centre (PHC) at Runnisaidpur. “Several other passengers were grievously injured,” he added.
The roof of the bus had completely collapsed as it landed upside down in the dry canal, which is a tributary of Bagmati, after falling from the bridge.
Meanwhile, Saturday’s accident was seventh ghastly accident including three in Muzaffarpur, two in Patna and one in Samastipur in the state within a month in which altogether 57 persons have died.
(With PTI inputs)
