Twenty-four people were killed and five others sustained injuries after a private bus carrying a wedding party fell into a river on Kota-Dausa highway in Bundi district on Wednesday morning, police said.
The wedding party with at least 29 persons on board was headed to Sawai Madhopur from Kota when driver Shyam Singh apparently lost control of the bus around 9:30 am while on a bridge near Papdi village under Lakheri police station limits, Lakheri Sub-Inspector Rajendra Kumar told PTI over phone.
The bus, then, plunged into Mej river from the bridge that had no wall or railing, he said.
Thirteen people died on the spot including the driver while the others succumbed to their injuries on the way to a hospital in Lakheri town, the policeman added.
Reacting to the incident on Twitter, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic incident in Bundi in which 24 persons have lost lives after the bus fell into river Mej."
He shared his condolences to the bereaved families and wished for speedy recovery of those who were injured in the incident.
Gehlot also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.
Bundi District Collector Antar Singh Nehra told PTI that the 24 people who died include 11 women, 10 men and three children while a woman and a minor girl were among the five injured.
He said three of the injured are in a state of trauma and have been sent to a hospital in Kota for treatment.
Two of the injured were discharged after receiving treatment, Nehra further said.
After being discharged, the two persons claimed that the bus lost control as one of the wheels came off, the collector quoted them as saying.
However, it has not yet been confirmed as the reason behind the accident, Nehra clarified.
The five injured persons were identified as Murli (55), a resident of Basant Vihar, Ganeshpal area of Kota city; Deepak Sindhi (18), son of Narayan; Amit (35); Kannu (13), daughter of Suresh; Manju (35), wife of Mahavir Dhobi, Lakheri SI Kumar said.