In pics: 27 killed in bus accident in Madhubani, Bihar

Patna, Sept 20: At least 27 passengers were killed when a private bus fell into a roadside pond in Bihar's Madhubani district on Monday evening.

The Bus was carrying more than 50 passengers at the time of the accident which took place at Basaitha chowk under Bennipatti police station in Madhubani district. Local people said that the bus was on its way to Sitamarhi from Madhubani when the mishap took place on the state highway.

Madhubani District Magistrate Giriwar Dayal Singh later confirmed that 27 peole were killed in
the accident.

"Many of the passengers, who had boarded the bus, swam to safety or might have jumped out of the bus to save themselves", Dayal Singh said.

In Patna, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep sorrow and said in a statement that reason of the accident was being looked into.

Superintendent of police Deepak Kumar Barnwal and other policemen, who received stiff resistance from the villagers who were angry over delay in reaching of crane and pelted stones at them, managed to reach the spot after additional force came in.

Story continues in images.

27 killed in bus mishap

SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) on its mission to save passengers.

27 killed in bus accident

Rescue work in progress. Ill-fated bus is being pulled out by rescue workers.

27 killed in bus accident

Local crowd involved in rescue work at the accident spot.

27 killed in bus mishap

Rescue workers involved in fishing out the wreckage of the bus which met with the accident.

27 killed in bus mishap

Huge crowd watching rescue work in progress at the accident spot.