Four people, including the bus driver, were killed and 11 others injured when a speeding sleeper bus crashed into the wall of a bridge in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district on Friday, 28 August, police confirmed. The Kanpur-to-Indore bus lost control on a curve and slammed into the Bhopal bypass bridge in Biaora at around 8:30 am IST.

How the Accident Unfolded

According to Rajgarh Superintendent of Police Amit Tolani, the bus was negotiating a curve on the bridge when it lost control and collided with the bridge wall. The impact was severe enough to shatter the windows of the upper-deck sleeper section, sending some passengers falling from the bridge while others landed on the bridge structure itself.

'The prima facie reason appears to be speeding. The bus lost control at the curve and collided with the bridge wall. The exact circumstances are being investigated,' SP Tolani said.

Casualties and Critical Condition

Among the four deceased are reportedly a Station House Officer (SHO) and a cyber inspector from Bengaluru, according to police. Formal identification of all victims was still under way at the time of reporting. Of the 11 injured, four are in critical condition and have been referred to hospitals in Bhopal for advanced treatment. The remaining injured were initially taken to the Civil Hospital in Biaora.

Rescue Operations at the Scene

The bus was severely damaged in the crash. Local residents and police personnel worked together to rescue passengers trapped inside the mangled vehicle. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and distress as passengers were pulled out one by one.

Police and administrative teams reached the spot promptly and launched coordinated rescue operations. Minister of State Narayan Singh Panwar and SP Tolani later visited the Civil Hospital in Biaora, spoke with the injured, and consulted doctors on the treatment being administered.

Investigation Under Way

Police have registered a case and launched a formal investigation into the circumstances that caused the bus to lose control on the bridge. Authorities are examining whether driver fatigue, mechanical failure, or excessive speed — or a combination — contributed to the crash. This comes amid recurring concerns about road safety on national and state highways in Madhya Pradesh, where overnight and early-morning long-distance bus services have been flagged in past audits for inadequate speed regulation.

The identities of all four deceased are expected to be formally confirmed once next-of-kin notifications are completed.