SHILLONG, Aug 8 � Thirty-one people were killed and 27 injured, some critically, after an overcrowded bus plunged into a gorge near Tongseng village, in Meghalaya�s East Jaintia Hills district, this morning.
Seven of those critically injured have been rushed to Silchar Medical College and the rest are being treated at the Khliehriat Civil hospital in the district. The 31 bodies are being kept at the Khliehriat hospital, authorities said.
The bus (AS-01 7379) was proceeding towards Agartala, from Guwahati. According to some of the passengers, who survived the tragedy, the bus driver was in an inebriated state and lost control.
The mishap occurred at around 5.45 am this morning, when most of the passengers were asleep, in which the private night super bus (Sherowali) skidded off the road and plunged into a 100-meter deep gorge in the area. The spot is some 110 kms from here.
MK Dkhar, Superintendent of police, East Jaintia Hills district said, that the district police together with villagers helped in the rescue efforts. �31 passengers died on the spot and 27 others were injured, including two women. Seven of those critically injured have been rushed to the Silchar Medical College,� Dkhar said.
