Murshidabad bus accident: Six more bodies recovered, death toll rises to 42

Alleging a delay in rescue operations, angry local residents had set a police vehicle on fire and vandalised two others. Police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to control the situation.

Rescue work in progress in Murshidabad on Monday. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

Some passengers who were rescued told reporters that the driver of the bus was talking on the phone while driving. “The bus driver was talking on mobile phone and was handling the steering wheel using only his left hand, and suddenly it rammed into the railing of the bridge and fell into the bus,” the passengers said.

Relatives of those killed were inconsolable. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

The rescue operation was undertaken by police and NDRF officials. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the deceased, Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries and Rs 1 lakh for those with critical injuries. The chief minister Herself was on spot assisting rescue operation left along with Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Additional Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay.