8 Killed, 26 Injured as Bus Plunges into Drain in Bathinda

Bathinda : At least eight people were killed and 26 others injured when a private bus, carrying nearly 45 passengers, broke through the guard rail of a bridge and plunged into a drain near Jiwan Singhwala village, about 13 km from Bathinda, on Friday.

Five people died at the scene, while three others succumbed to injuries at Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital, Bathinda. The ill-fated bus, traveling from Sardulgarh in Mansa district to Bathinda, was reportedly speeding when the driver lost control after a truck appeared from the opposite direction.

District Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Parray and SSP Amneet Kondal, along with other officials, rushed to the site of the accident, where a joint rescue operation was launched by the police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local NGO volunteers, and residents. Passengers were quickly pulled from the partially submerged bus, which had overturned in the drain.

The injured were rushed to the Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda Civil Hospitals. Of the 34 passengers treated, 21 were sent to Bathinda, where three later died. The condition of the other 16 remained stable. In Talwandi Sabo, five more passengers were declared dead, while one was referred to Bathinda for advanced care.

The administration has set up control rooms for public inquiries and is working to identify the victims. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.