42 killed as passenger bus falls into ravine, catches fire in Pakistan's Balochistan province
Islamabad (PTI): At least 42 people, including women and children, were killed on Sunday after a speeding passenger bus crashed into a pillar of a bridge and fell into a ravine in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, according to officials.
The bus was carrying 48 people from provincial capital Quetta to Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, when it crashed into the pillar and subsequently careened into a ravine before catching fire in the Lasbela area, Assistant Commissioner Lasbela Hamza Anjum said.
"The speeding bus crashed into the pillar of a bridge while taking a U-turn near Lasbela and fell into a ravine and then caught fire," he told the media.
Anjum said till now 42 bodies have been recovered from the accident site.
Only three people, including a child and a woman, could be rescued alive, the official said, adding that the death toll could rise as the injured were in critical condition.
"There were a total of 48 people on the passenger coaster," he said.
He said the bodies were charred beyond recognition and DNA testing will be done for the identification of the deceased.
Police and rescue officials were busy in pulling out bodies and shifting them to the nearby hospitals, according to officials.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah expressed grief over the tragedy and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
Such horrific road accidents happen frequently in Pakistan especially in areas where roads and highways need repairs and no proper safety measures are followed while awarding licenses and permits to commercial vehicles.
Passenger buses are frequently crammed to capacity and seatbelts are not commonly worn, meaning high death tolls from single-vehicle accidents are common.
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Two missing men found dead in Manipur's Kamjong, CM assures NIA probe
Imphal (PTI): Two men who went missing in Manipur's Kamjong district were found dead on Thursday, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Thangboimang Khongsai (35) from Shangkai in Ukhrul district and Thengin Baite (40) from nearby Thawai Kuki village.
The two had gone to repair water pipelines in a forest on Wednesday but did not return home, villagers claimed.
Their bodies were recovered at a short distance from each other by villagers and security personnel, hours after 21 Tangkhul Naga civilians, who had been detained by villagers and armed men from Shangkai, were released.
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Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh told the Assembly on Thursday that the case would be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and families of the deceased would be given compensation.
In a post on X, Singh said, "The government will hand over the case related to the death of two individuals at Thawai Kuki village to the NIA for a thorough and impartial investigation. Ex gratia will also be provided to the bereaved families as per government norms. The government remains committed to ensuring justice, maintaining law and order, and upholding the rule of law in the state."
Soon after the bodies were recovered, a police vehicle was targeted by a mob at Mongkot Chepu in Ukhrul district around 10 am. One vehicle was damaged in the attack, officials said.
Irate villagers at Shangkai also blocked the Ukhrul-Imphal road with stones and boulders to protest the killing.
