2 killed as bus plunges into river

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM, NOV. 25. Two persons were killed on the spot and 39 others injured when a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus had a steep fall from a bridge in Narasingapuram at Athur near here in the early hours of Saturday.

The bus, which left Chennai at 8.30 p.m. on Friday, was proceeding towards Salem. When it was passing through a narrow bridge at Narasingapurm, the driver seemed to have lost control. As a result, the vehicle hit the parapet and plunged into the dry river, at a depth of about 25 feet.

The bus turned turtle, making it difficult for the passengers to get out of it.

On receipt of information, the staff of the State Transport Corporation rushed to the spot and took the injured passengers to the Government Hospital at Athur and gave them first aid. The officials also reached the spot to organise necessary help.

Later, 23 injured persons - 17 men and 6 women - had been admitted to the Mohan Kumaramangalam Government Hospital at Salem. The deceased were identified as Shanmughasundaram (48), conductor, and Mr. R. Prakash (26).

Since the bridge being too narrow was accident-prone, the people in the area had long been demanding measures to widen the bridge. But their demand was yet to be fulfilled, they said.

The ill-fated bus of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, which had a steep fall from a bridge in Narasingapuram at Athur near Salem in the wee hours of Saturday.

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Section  : Southern States
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