14 die as bus falls into river in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW - At least 14 people were killed and 19 critically injured Monday when the bus carrying them fell into a river in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, police said.

“The accident took place along the bridge of the Choiya river in Dibai town,” Deputy Superintendent of Police J.R. Joshi told IANS on phone from Bulandshahr, some 400 km from here.

“The rescue operation is on. Till now, 14 bodies have been recovered. The injured are being treated in a hospital,” he said.

According to police, the exact number of passengers in the private bus is yet to be ascertained.

The passengers were labourers who were heading to their native Badaun district from Ghaziabad to cast their vote for the panchayat elections, whose first phase started Monday.