Nine killed as bus plunges into deep valley in MP

Nine persons, including three women, were killed and 29 others injured when the bus they were travelling in overturned and plunged 300 feet down hill at Machalia Ghat in Dhar district, police said today.

The bus was on its way to Galiakot in Rajasthan from Indore when the mishap occurred last night around 10 PM, Dhar SP, Rajesh Hingankar told PTI.

The driver of the bus lost control while traversing through the Ghat near Jhabua following which the bus fell into a deep valley.

Senior officials from Dhar and Jhabua districts have reached the spot and launched rescue operations.

Nearly 50 policemen, 30 search lights and a crane was pressed into the service to rescue the passengers, the SP said.

The deceased passengers were identified as Rakhi Rajendra (38), Pooja Gavli (30), Mohammad Noor (60), Samrathmal Jain (62), Kailash (Driver), Ram, Mustafa (20), Shantu Solanki and Madhu Verma (40)

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured persons.

The SP said that due to difficult terrain it is not possible to pull out the bus. The injured have been referred to Indore and Jhabua for treatment.