1st LD: Bus mishap claims 27 lives in India

NEW DELHI, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-seven people died and four injured when the bus they were travelling in turned turtle and caught fire in India's eastern state of Bihar on Thursday, reported leading English daily "The Times of India".

According to the online edition of "The Times of India", the bus was on its route from Muzaffarpur to New Delhi. It turned turtle and caught fire on National High No. 28 near Belwa village under Kotwa police station area of Motihari district of Bihar.

The report quoted state's Disaster Management Minister Dinesh Chandra Yadav as confirming 27 deaths in the bus mishap.

Xinhua tried in vain to contact the concerned senior district officials as they were said to be on the spot overseeing the relief and rescue work. Though one of the officials, on the condition of anonymity, said that those dead were charred beyond recognition.

The ill-fated bus reportedly belonged to a private operator and the accident took place while the driver attempted to save a two-wheeler. The bus went off the road and turned turtle and instantly caught fire. Enditem