NEW DELHI, India: At least 21 Hindu pilgrims including six children lost their lives when a van plunged into a river in southern India on Saturday.
The officials said that the incident occurred in India’s Andhra Pradesh state where a van carrying 22 Hindu pilgrims fell into Godavari River from a bridge while it was coming back from the famous Tirupati-Tirumala temple.
They said that accident took place because the driver of the van lost control of the vehicle, adding that all the passengers except a boy were killed in the incident.
“The vehicle driver appeared to have lost control and hit a wall of the bridge and fell off into the Godavari River,” an official said as quoted by the Press Trust of India news agency.
In a statement, the Chief Minister Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu expressed his grief and promised that authorities were providing all help possible.
“Deeply saddened about tragic death of 21 people travelling in a van after it fell off Dowleswaram bridge,” Naidu said.
“The kid, a lone survivor, is undergoing treatment,” he added.
Deeply saddened about tragic death of 21 people travelling in a van after it fell off Dowleswaram bridge. I’m monitoring the situation.(1/2)
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) June 13, 2015
The kid, a lone survivor, is undergoing treatment. Spoke to our Home Minister who visited the spot. We’re providing all possible help. (2/2)
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) June 13, 2015
