Three people were killed and at least eight others left in critical condition after a passenger bus collided with a bulker on a National Highway in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district on Wednesday evening, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav both expressing grief over the tragedy. The death toll could rise further, according to the district collector.

How the Accident Unfolded

The collision occurred late evening near Badwar Stand in the Gudh area of Rewa district, when a Pawan Travels bus travelling from Rewa to Sidhi was struck from behind by a bulker, according to police. The impact caused the bulker to overturn, while the bus veered off the road and plunged into a roadside ditch.

Around 40 passengers were on board the bus at the time of the accident. The bus was operating its regular daily route of approximately 240 km, passing through Churhat, Baghor, Sidhi, and Patpara before its final stop at Amiliya.

Rescue Operations and Hospitalisation

Police and administrative teams reached the site promptly, evacuating the injured and shifting them to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa for treatment. Several passengers reportedly sustained injuries of varying severity, with eight confirmed to be in critical condition.

A particularly distressing development emerged when Rewa Collector Narendra Suryavanshi disclosed that a three-year-old girl is missing following the crash. Her mother, who was herself injured in the collision, has been unable to provide any information about the child's whereabouts. Officials suspect the child may have fallen into the roadside ditch, and a search operation is currently underway in and around the site.

What the Government Said

Prime Minister Modi condoled the deaths in a post on social media platform X. 'The loss of lives due to a mishap in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa is saddening. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the swift recovery of the injured,' he said.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the accident as 'deeply heart-wrenching' and directed officials to ensure all possible medical assistance to the injured. 'I pray for peace for the souls of the deceased and a speedy recovery for the injured,' Yadav said. He also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh each to those seriously injured, while directing the administration to continue the search for the missing child.

Rising Toll and What Comes Next

Collector Suryavanshi warned that the death toll could rise given the critical condition of eight passengers. This incident adds to a pattern of fatal highway accidents on Madhya Pradesh's national highway network, where high-speed collisions involving heavy vehicles remain a persistent concern. Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the rear-end collision, including whether the bulker driver was at fault.