At least 13 people were killed Monday morning after the bus in which they were traveling crashed through the barrier of the Khalghat Sanjay Setu bridge spanning the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district. The bus fell more than 100 feet into the river.
The Maharashtra Roadways bus was going from Indore to Pune when the accident took place.
The bus was moving from Indore to Pune when it broke the barrier and fell into the river, where heavy machinery was deployed to drag the vehicle out of the water.
A team of state disaster response forces (SDRF) is at the spot and coordinating with local fishermen in carrying out the rescue operation.
Senior officials from Indore and Dhar have rushed to the spot to take stock of the rescue work.
"About 40 people were on board the bus and 13 bodies have been recovered so far," Narottam Mishra, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister, said.
Nearly 15 people have been rescued so far. Further details are awaited.
"The district administration team is present at the accident site. The bus has been removed. I am in constant touch with Khargone, Dhar district administration. Instructions have been given to make arrangements for proper treatment of the injured," Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in a tweet, expressing grief over the loss of lives in the accident.
The MP CM also called his Maharashtra counterpart, Eknath Shinde, and apprised him of the current situation at the accident site.