7 killed, 80 injured after bus carrying marriage party overturns in Jharkhand's Latehar

Latehar: At least seven people, including five women, were killed and over 80 others injured after a bus carrying wedding guests overturned in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred at Orsa Bangladara valley under Mahuadanr police station limits.

"A bus carrying a marriage party was coming from Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh for a wedding at Mahuadanr in Latehar. The bus overturned, and five people died on the spot. Among them, four were women. The injured were taken to a hospital," Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav told PTI.

Two persons died during treatment in hospital, another official said.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Hemant Soren asked the Latehar deputy commissioner to provide appropriate medical facilities to the injured.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vipin Kumar Dubey said 60 injured were admitted to Mahuadanr community health centre and over 20 at a private hospital.

"Thirty-two people, who are serious, are being referred to RIMS Ranchi for better treatment," he said.

The deceased were identified as Reshanti Devi (35), Prema Devi (37), Sita Devi (45), Sonamati Devi (55), Sukhna Bhuiyan (40) and Vijay Bhuiyan. Identification of a woman, who died in Latehar hospital, is underway, Dubey said.

The bus driver, Vikas Pathak, said around 90 passengers were on the bus.

"The brakes of the bus failed. Despite attempts to stop the vehicle using the handbrake and switching off the engine, I could not regain control, and the bus eventually overturned," he told reporters.