Death toll in MP accident rises to 21

Bhopal: The death toll in last night’s accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district where a mini-truck carrying a marriage party fell off a bridge over Sone River has gone up to 21, a police official said today. The accident took place around 10.30 pm nearly 42 kms away from Sidhi district headquarters, police said.

The vehicle fell around 60-70 feet down on the dry part of the river after it hit the retaining wall of Jogdaha bridge near Amelia, the official said. Till late last night, police had confirmed the death of 15 persons.

“The death toll in the mishap has gone up to 21. So far, we have recovered bodies of 21 men, including three members of a musical band. The mishap has left nearly as many injured,” Rewa division’s Inspector General Umesh Joga told PTI.

“The marriage party belonged to a Muslim family of Devsar town area in Singrauli district,” he said. The injured were admitted to Sidhi district hospital and the rescue operation is still on, he added. The district collector as well as the district police chief are at the spot to supervise the rescue operation, Joga added.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last night announced an assistance of Rs two lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured, the collector said.