“Extremely sad”: Prime Minister Modi, President Murmu condole loss of lives in Durg bus accident

Durg (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and condoled the loss of lives in an accident involving a bus, which overturned and fell into a ditch in the Durg district on Tuesday.

The bus, which was ferrying employees of a firm, overturned and rolled over into a ditch, leaving 12 passengers dead and 14 injured.

Taking to his official X handle, PM Modi posted, “The bus accident in Durg, Chhattisgarh, is extremely sad. My condolences to those who lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way.”

President Droupadi Murmu also took to X to mourn the victims, posting, “The news of many people getting killed in a bus accident in Durg district of Chhattisgarh is very sad. My deepest condolences to all the bereaved families! I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Sharing details of the incident that took place at 8.30 pm on Tuesday, Durg Collector Richa Prakash Choudhary said 12 passengers were killed on the spot while another 14 grievously hurt after the bus, packed with workers, fell into a ditch in Durg.

“The bus carrying labourers of the Kedia Distillery fell into a ditch near Kumhari around 8.30 pm, resulting in the deaths of approximately 12 individuals while 14 others were injured and admitted to a hospital,” Choudhary said.

Twelve of the injured were referred and shifted to AIIMS (Raipur), while the remaining two are receiving treatment at a private hospital. All of them are currently in stable condition and we are providing them with the best possible care,” the collector added.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma visited the injured at AIIMS Raipur in the wake of the accident.

After meeting the injured, Deputy CM Sharma said, “It was an unfortunate incident. The workers were on their way to Kedia Distillery on a bus when the accident took place. There are ditches, 20-feet deep, on both sides of the road. They had been taking the same route for about 20 years, but it so happened that the bus, today, lost control, overturned and fell into a ditch.”

“One of the injured passengers informed that the headlights of the bus weren’t switched on, which may have also contributed to the accident,” he added.

Earlier, expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai took to his official X handle to post, “I was saddened by the news of a bus, packed with employees of a private firm, meeting with an accident near Kumhari in Durg.”

“I also received news that 11 of the employees sadly perished in the accident,” the tweet added.”I pray to the Almighty to bring peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families. Adequate arrangements have been made for the treatment of the injured employees. I wish them a speedy recovery.”