At least seven persons were killed and over 30 injured, some of them seriously, when a crowded bus fell off an overbridge onto the railway tracks near Bally Halt station in Howrah district on Friday. Unofficial sources however put the death toll at 10.

The injured, six of whom were women, were admitted to the Uttarpara General hospital and 13 of them were moved to the Medical College hospital. Inspector General (law and order) Raj Kanojia told PTI that the speeding bus fell on the railway tracks from the overbridge, as the driver lost control. The bus was broken into pieces after the fall.

Office-goers had a trying time, as both the main and chord line train services on the Howrah-Bandel section were suspended for some time due to the accident, which took place during the rush hour. The private bus on route no 79 was going from Dunlop Bridge in the northern outskirts of the city to Alampur. Eastern Railway sources said the tracks were cleared of the bus and train services restored by 11:15 am.

Eastern Railway general manager Shyam Kumar and divisional railway manager H V Sharma rushed to the spot to supervise relief and restoration work. Railway doctors and para-medical staff from nearby Liluah hospital and Howrah railway orthopaedic hospital were also rushed to the site.

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