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62 feared drowned as bus plunges into river in West Bengal

Rescue operators recovered the bodies of 19 of the 62 people feared drowned after a Calcutta-Malda state-owned bus plunged into the Bhagirathi river near Baharampore town of West Bengal's Murshidabad district early today.

''We are yet to ascertain the number of people inside the bus. But such buses have a maximum capacity of 62 people. There is hardly any chance of survival,'' said Inspector General of Police (law and order) Prasun Mukherjee.

He said that the accident occurred around 0230 hours when the driver of the bus lost control while crossing the bridge on the Bhagirathi, crashed against the railing and plunged into the river.

He said the bus belonged to the North Bengal State Transport Corporation.

Minister of State for Transport Sushanta Ghosh and Transport Secretary Arun Bhattacharya had left for the accident site by a helicopter. Rescue operators were trying to retrieve the bus with the help of cranes.

This is the second major bus accident in the district in the past 15 months.

In January 1998, 66 teenagers were drowned when a bus fell into the same river near Jalangi.

The teenagers were returning from a picnic.

UNI

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