At least twenty-one persons, including four women, were on Wednesday killed and 17 others injured when the bus in which they were travelling collided with a truck near the Choti Chhaegaon Makhan area in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
The incident occurred when the ill-fated private bus, carrying 38 passengers, collided head-on with a truck on Khandwa-Indore road, Khandwa Superintendent of police M S Sikarwar said.
The bus was on its way to Khandwa from Indore while the truck was heading towards Indore, the SP said, adding, at the time of the collision both the vehicles were moving at a high speed.
The injured were rushed to the district hospital.
Sikarwar and District collector Mahesh Agrawal reached the hospital soon after the mishap.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh to the kin of the victims and Rs 50,000 to the injured ones.
A probe has been initiated into matter.
