Bathinda, Dec 27: Eight people died and many were injured on Friday when a private bus crashed through the railing of a bridge here and plunged into a drain a few feet below, police said.

The bus had over 45 passengers and it fell in Lasara drain at Jeewan Singhwala village, officials said.

The accident occurred when the bus was enroute to Bathinda from Talwandi Sabo. Locals rushed to the spot immediately to help the passengers, they said.

Eight people have died in the accident, the police said.

Police and district administration also launched a rescue operation and took the injured to a hospital. A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached the spot to provide assistance, they added.

The weather was inclement in the area, the officials said, while adding that exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray, who reached the spot to supervise the rescue operation, said medical teams and ambulances were rushed to the spot.

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New Delhi (PTI): The mortal remains of former prime minister Manmohan Singh reached Delhi's Nighambodh Ghat crematorium for last rites on Saturday.

The procession carrying Singh's mortal remains reached the crematorium at around 11.30 pm, where the last rites will be performed shortly.

Earlier, the final journey of Singh began from the AICC headquarters on Saturday morning after Congress leaders paid homage to their departed leader.

The flower-bedecked vehicle carrying the mortal remains of Singh left the Congress headquarters in a procession amid chants of "Manmohan Singh amar rahe".

A large number of Congress workers and leaders along with hundreds of Singh's well-wishers walked along as "Jab tak suraj chand rahega, tab tak tera naam rahega" slogans rent the air.

Former Congress chief and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also accompanied the procession alongside Singh's relatives.

Singh's mortal remains were taken to the AICC headquarters from his residence on 3, Motilal Nehru Road a little before 9 AM.

The mortal remains were kept there for about an hour, with several top Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, paying their last respects, among others.

Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur and one of their daughters also laid a wreath on his body and paid their last respects.

Singh passed away on Thursday night at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to age-related medical complications. He was 92.

Considered the architect of India's economic reforms, Singh served as the prime minister for 10 years between 2004 and 2014.

A seven-day national mourning is being observed throughout the country as a mark of respect to the former prime minister during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the nation, the Union Home Ministry has announced.