School Bus Plunges From Bridge in Madhya Pradesh: 28 Students Injured During Educational Trip to Sanchi

The bus was transporting approximately 45 students from Higher Secondary School, Bahadurpur on an educational excursion to Sanchi when tragedy struck.

Bhopal:

What began as an exciting school picnic quickly transformed into a harrowing experience Sunday morning when a bus carrying students and faculty from Higher Secondary School, Bahadurpur, plummeted from a 12-foot bridge spanning the Sagad River in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha district. The accident resulted in injuries to at least 28 children, with four to five students reportedly in serious condition.

The educational trip to Sanchi involved approximately 45 students who had departed from their school at around 8:00 AM. The accident occurred at approximately 10:30 AM within the jurisdiction of the Nateran police station, roughly 80 kilometers from Bahadurpur.

According to eyewitnesses and initial investigations, the Johad bridge is particularly narrow. While attempting to make room for an approaching vehicle, the driver reportedly steered the bus too close to the edge. The vehicle subsequently lost balance, became uncontrollable, and fell directly into the dry riverbed below.

The aftermath of the crash was filled with the distressed cries of frightened students. Nearby villagers rushed to assist and promptly alerted authorities. Police and administrative officials arrived quickly to coordinate rescue efforts. The children were extracted from the damaged bus and transported urgently to local hospitals.

Multiple students sustained injuries and fractures to their extremities. Those with serious injuries, approximately four to five children, were immediately transferred to Vidisha Medical College for specialized care. Other injured students were taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Ganj Basoda for observation and treatment.

MLA Mukesh Tandon confirmed the incident, stating that nine injured children were transferred from Ganj Basoda to Vidisha Medical College, while the remaining students were in stable condition. He noted that all children were from Ashoknagar district and were participating in an educational excursion. "Thankfully, no lives were lost in this accident," he added.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kshitij Sharma reported that the bus was carrying between 40 and 42 children at the time of the incident. "Four to five children suffered serious injuries and have been referred to the medical college. The others received first aid and have been transported back to their district," he explained.

Following medical evaluations and treatment throughout the day, approximately 35 children were safely returned to their home district of Ashoknagar. Representatives from both the education department and district administration were present to supervise the medical care and transportation arrangements for the students.