Kota: At least four people were killed and two critically injured after a minibus carrying around 17 passengers veered off the road and fell into a 15-foot-deep drain on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway here early on Saturday.
The accident occurred at around 6 am near pole number 384 on the Expressway, under Simliya police station limits.
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Emergency personnel immediately launched rescue operations, despite the silt and water accumulated inside the drain severely hampering their efforts. Cranes were deployed to retrieve the damaged vehicle and rescue the passengers trapped inside.
Giving details of the ongoing operation, Simliya Station House Officer Nand Singh said four dead bodies have been recovered from the wreckage so far.
There were around 17 passengers in the minibus during the accident, of whom two sustained critical injuries, while several others suffered minor injuries, he said.
The injured people are being rushed to nearby medical facilities, including New Medical College Hospital and MBS Hospital. Three ambulances have been deployed for quick transportation, the SHO said.
While the official number of casualties stands at four now, the authorities fear the death toll may rise as rescue teams continue operations and verify victims' identities, he said.
The identities of the deceased and the injured are yet to be ascertained, he added.