A bus crash in Indian Kashmir this Wednesday killed 36 people and injured 19, according to Indian authorities.
The accident occurred in the Doda region, Indian Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said on social networks, as quoted by the Spanish agency EFE.
Singh added that the injured are being taken to the district hospital.
Indian agency PTI reported that the bus crashed and fell into a 90-meter gorge.
Authorities have not yet specified the cause of the accident, but a local police officer told French news agency AFP that “it was caused by the negligence of the driver, who crashed into a road safety barrier.”
The first footage of the accident shows that the car overturned in a ravine and was completely destroyed, while several people tried to pull the victims out of the bus.
Home Minister Amit Shah said on social media that the local administration is conducting rescue operations at the accident site.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed regret over the accident in a post on social media.
“My sincere condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover as soon as possible,” Modi said.
He also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (about 2,200 euros at current exchange rates) to the families of the dead and 50,000 rupees (about 550 euros) to the injured.
Road accidents are common in India due to poor road conditions, dilapidated condition of some vehicles and lack of adherence to traffic rules.
In September, 11 people were killed and 12 injured when a tractor-trailer collided with a bus carrying a group of Hindu pilgrims in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, 153,972 people were killed and 384,448 injured in 412,432 road accidents in India in 2021.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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