BANGALORE, India (AP) — An official says at least 25 people were killed when a speeding bus fell into a canal in southern India. The victims reportedly included many schoolchildren.
G. Parameshwaran, the Karnataka state deputy chief minister, says the accident occurred Saturday in Mandya district as the driver lost control of the vehicle while going at a high speed.
Parameshwaran said a rescue operation was underway, with police rushing divers to the spot. The area is 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state.
The Press Trust of India news agency reported many of the dead were children who were returning from school.
Around 150,000 people die every year on India's roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers.
