At least eight people were killed and 11 others sustained injuries on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, in Punjab’s Muktsar district when a private bus fell into a canal, according to officials.
The incident occurred in the afternoon near Jhabelwali village on the Muktsar-Kotkapura road as the bus rolled down the Sirhind feeder canal. Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Ruhee Dugg said in a statement that eight passengers have so far died in the incident.
The private bus was reportedly carrying around 35 people, and the rescue operation was still underway.
A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the spot for the rescue operation, as the search for the people who were feared to have drowned in the bus accident continued.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has expressed grief over the unfortunate incident.