Death toll rises to 12
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, May 08 2009: The death toll in the Thursday's Tamenglong-Imphal bound bus tragedy rose to 12 (twelve) on Friday with one more injured succumbing to his injuries late Thursday night at the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JN) hospital, Porompat in Imphal East district of Manipur.

Meanwhile, state chief minister O.Ibobi Singh paid visit to the injured victims of at the hospitals in Imphal Friday.

The Thursday tragedy left 11 (eleven) dead on the spot with as many as 49 injured including 32 serious cases.

And in the aftermath of the incident Tamenglong-Imphal and vice-versa bus service was suspended for the day as civil organizations based in the district and the bus operators held series of meeting and discussed on the bus service conditions.

Local volunteers and AR personnel trying to extricate dead bodies from the wreckage

However, with the an aged man named Mankeu Jonang (77) hailing from Phakram village of Tamenglong district succumbing to injury late Thursday night at JN Hospital where he was referred being given first aids at Tamenglong district hospital, the death toll rose to 12 .

Meanwhile, state chief minister, O Ibobi along with some of his cabinet ministers today paid a visit to the victims at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospital and Shija Hospitals shared his shock and grief of the tragic accident.

He also promised the families of the dead and injured victims all possible monetary and other assistance from the government side while having interaction with the families of the injured victims.

While sharing his shock with the families, Ibobi assured he will instruct authorities concern to look into the matter and measures taken up so that such tragic incident which amount to loss of so may lives do not repeat.

At least eleven passengers were killed and another 49 including 32 seriously injured as a Tamenglong-Imphal bound passenger bus plunged into a gorge and caught fire at Sangrungpang village, 21 kms from Tamenglong district headquarter Thursday morning.

An eight-month old baby and six women were among the dead victims..

While six of them died on the spot and were charred beyond recognition, one died on the way to hospital while four persons died in the hospital.

The driver of the ill-fated bus bearing registration MNO1748 (Sai Baba), Y.Bagat (57) and handyman Gainingjuan of Tuangtao village in Tamenglong district were among the 32 seriously who received serious injuries and are currently treated at hospitals in Imphal.

And in the aftermath of the accident, a public meeting was held at the market shed of the Tamenglong district headquarters Friday to mourn the departed souls and pray for their souls.

The DC of the district also convened another rounds of meeting with the leaders of the civil society organizations and passenger bus operators with a bid to attempt to find out the possible reason of the tragic incident and take up precautionary measures to avoid such incidents.

All shops and market including schools, government establishments and other activities were closed and thousands of people gathered at the only hospital in the district headquarters Friday to find out if any of their near and dear ones were injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, the Town Churches Union Tamenglong expressed gratitude to the public for their selfless contribution with their physical help as well as in cash including the DC, SDO and the district administration for their unflinching help.