At least 30 killed as Private bus falls into canal in Mandya district
Mandya, Nov 24: At least 30 passengers, most of them women and children, were killed when a speeding private bus in which they were travelling plunged into a canal in Karnataka's Mandya district Saturday, officials said.
The bus, which was moving on a road along the VC canal at Kanaganamaradi, 105 km South-West of Bengaluru, swerved and toppled into it, completely submerging the vehicle and killing the victims instantaneously, officials said.
Police said 30 bodies have been recovered and two people were rescued.
Among those killed were eight men, 13 women and nine children, they said.
Preliminary reports suggested that negligence on the part of the driver may have caused the accident, officials said.
The fate of the driver and conductor was not known.
Officials have handed over most of the bodies to the family members.
Most of those killed were from nearby Vadesamudra village, locals said.
They said the children were returning home after half day school when the accident took place.
Long wails of grief-stricken kin of the victims rent the air as rescue teams fished out the bodies one after the other.
The district authorities roped in a crane to lift the bus from the canal.
Police had a difficult time controlling the crowd was people living nearby thronged the mishap site.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy rushed to the accident spot, cancelling all his official engagements.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the kin of those killed.
"The Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs five lakh to the kin of the deceased.
Deeply pained by the incident, he has prayed to God to give strength to the families of the deceased to help them bear the loss," the Chief Minister's office said.
President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and state opposition leader BS Yeddyurappa expressed grief over the loss of lives.
"Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic bus accident in Mandya, Karnataka. Thoughts and prayers with the bereaved families and with the injured.
I understand local authorities are making efforts to rescue and help affected passengers," the President tweeted.
"Deeply pained by the bus accident in Karnataka's Mandya.
My thoughts are with the families of the deceased.May God give them strength in this hour of sadness: PM @narendramodi,"the Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.
"I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka, in which over 20 people are feared dead & many others injured.
I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
Girish, a carpenter who was rescued, said he survived as he was lucky and knew swimming.
"I'm not sure what caused the accident, but it looks like it was the driver's fault. Fifteen people from my village and some of my relatives died," he said.
"There was no chance for anyone to survive.
I survived as I was sitting next to a window," he said.
Girish reportedly helped another survivor, Rohit, a school boy.
A case has been registered against the driver, police said.
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8 children between ages of 1 and 14 dead after mass shooting in Louisiana, police say
Shreveport(US) (AP): A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in shootings at two different homes early Sunday in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in more than two years, police in Shreveport said.
The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old, said Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon. A total of 10 were shot and some of the children were related to the suspect, Bordelon said.
The gunman later died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect, Bordelon said. The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police, according to Bordelon.
Police did not release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male. The shootings were the result of a “domestic disturbance,” Bordelon said.
Officials said they were still gathering details at the crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — the two homes and a third location.
“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.
It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.
“I just don't know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It's a terrible morning.”
Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.
State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.
Louisiana Gov Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We're deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.
