47 killed feared dead in two Bihar mishaps

At least 47 people are feared dead in two separate accidents in Bihar on Thursday.

While 25 people died when an overloaded bus fell into a 10-foot-deep ditch alongside the flooded Gordhoba rivulet under Biharsharif police station in Nalanda district, 22 people are feared drowned when a boat carrying 35 people, mostly children, capsized midstream in Panchane river near Bhagwanpur village in the district.

Official sources said some people, sitting on the roof of the bus, swam to safety. Only four bodies could be extricated so far.

The bus, carrying about 120 passengers including 40 women and children, had taken a prohibited route which was waterlogged, the sources said. The route had been closed to traffic for the past eight days. However, the lure of money made the driver take the risk, the sources said.

The bus was going to Biharsharif from Barbigha.

They said hundreds of villagers along with the local administration are engaged in rescue operations.

In another accident near Bhagwanpur village, at least 22 people are feared drowned when a boat carrying 35 people, mostly children, capsized.

Official sources said five bodies could be fished out so far. Thirteen people swam to safety.

Divers had been pressed into service to rescue the victims who were reported to be going to their nearby places of work in the fields.

UNI