At least 24 people were killed and 41 others injured when a speeding private bus packed with passengers plunged into a dry river bed after breaking through railings of a bridge in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district on Tuesday morning, Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel said.

There were around 70 passengers in the bus which had capacity for only 37 people, he said. A magisterial probe has been ordered into the incident that took place at 8.40 am. Officials said 18 seriously injured persons were referred to Indore for further treatment.