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Bus carrying pilgrims crashes in West Bengal, 13 dead

Police were searching on Saturday for the driver of an overcrowded bus that skidded into a ditch in West Bengal, killing 13 passengers including two children and leaving 43 injured.

Updated on: Apr 11, 2015 12:56 PM IST
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Police were searching on Saturday for the driver of an overcrowded bus that skidded into a ditch in West Bengal, killing 13 passengers including two children and leaving 43 injured.

The bus, which normally seats 54, had been so crowded with Hindu pilgrims that some were sitting on the roof, police said.

Initial reports suggested "the driver was drunk" and traveling at high speed when he tried to take a steep turn Friday morning and crashed, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Kolkata, according to Burdwan police superintendent Kunal Agarwal.

"We are on the lookout for him," Agarwal said.

The pilgrims were traveling from Burdwan to a temple in Mayapur, where they planned to offer prayers to the Hindu god Krisha and swim in the Ganges River.

The state government said it would give 200,000 rupees to the families of those killed.

 
Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.
Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.
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