Death toll in MP mishap rises to 14; 60 injured

Bhopal: The death toll in the accident in which a cement-laden truck hit three buses parked on the side of a road on the Rewa-Satna border in Madhya Pradesh has gone up to 14, which also left at least 60 persons injured, officials said on Saturday. The accident occurred around 9 pm on Friday outside a tunnel near Barkhada village and people in buses were returning from ‘Kol Mahakumbh’ in Satna, they said. Expressing grief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “The bus accident in Sidhi, MP is anguishing. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I wish the injured a quick recovery. The MP government is providing all possible assistance to all those affected.”

An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and the injured would be given Rs 50,000, his office tweeted quoting him.

Terming the incident as “very unfortunate”, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that if necessary, patients will be airlifted outside Rewa for better treatment. He announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of those killed in the accident, and also said that government jobs will also be offered to the kin of the deceased persons. Those who suffered serious injuries will be given Rs 2 lakh, while other injured will be offered Rs one lakh compensation.