22 dead as bus falls from bridge in India

At least 22 people were killed and several others were injured when a bus they were travelling in fell from a bridge in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone today, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said.

The bus, with 50 people on board, was on its way to Indore when it fell from a bridge in Khargone's Dasanga village. Emergency services with the help of local villagers are engaged in rescue operation, Mr Mishra said. 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a compensation of ₹ 4 lakh to the families of those who were killed in the accident, ₹ 50,000 each to those who are 'seriously' injured and ₹ 25,000 each to people with minor injuries. Chief Minister Chouhan's government will also bear the costs of treatment of those injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office announced today that a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each will be given to the families of those who died. 

"An ex-gratia of ₹ 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the bus accident in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh. The injured would be given ₹ 50,000," the PMO's office tweeted.

A probe is underway to determine the cause of the accident, the police said. 

Source: NDTV