Newsroom24x7 Staff

Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh): At least 14 passengers were killed when a bus fell into a trench filled with water near Namli on the Neemuch Road, about 10 km from this district headquarters earlier today.

According to district police sources, the ill-fated 50-seater bus was heading from Namli to Jaora when the mishap occured around 10.30 am. Relief and rescue operations began immediately and the bus had been pulled out of the pond by 2.30 pm.

According to available reports, a tyre burst led to the accident. Its actual cause will be known only after a thorough inquiry but the circumstances point to the critical issue of enforcement when it comes to the authorities ensuring fitness of vehicles plying on our roads. It will have to be ascertained whether or not the vehicle involved in today’s accident was carrying the valid fitness certificate under the Motor Vehicle Rules.