Death toll of India bus accident rises to 16

Death toll in a bus accident in central Indian state of Chhattisgarh has gone up to 16, officials said Thursday.

The 50 others injured in the accident according to officials were undergoing treatment at different hospitals of state.

The ill-fated bus belonging to a private transport company fell into a dry rivulet on Wednesday night at Daldhowa ghat in Balrampur district, about 418 km northeast of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

"At the time of accident, 13 people were killed on spot and 53 others were injured but of the injured, three more succumbed to their injuries taking death toll to 16," a police official said.

Officials said the bus carrying 66 passengers was on its way to Raipur from Gadhwa of neighboring Jharkhand state.

Preliminary investigations by police revealed the bus took a sharp turn on a bridge while trying to avoid collision with a motorcyclist coming from the opposite direction.

"The driver lost control over the bus while taking a sharp curve and hit the railing of the bridge, before falling in to the dry rivulet," a government official said.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Raman Singh visited the hospital in Raipur and met the victims, India's official broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

Global Road Safety Report 2015 released by WHO last year said India accounts for more than 200,000 deaths annually due to road accidents. Endit