A Rewa court has acquitted all three accused in connection with the 2006 Govindgarh bus tragedy that claimed the lives of 62 people. The verdict comes nearly 19 years after the accident, with the court citing a lack of sufficient evidence to prove the accused were guilty.

On October 19, 2006, a bus carrying over 60 passengers plunged into the Govindgarh pond in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh. The bus, bearing registration number MKA 3163, was en route from Ramnagar to Rewa when the tragic incident occurred at approximately 9:40 am. The accident resulted in the death of 56 people initially, but the toll rose to 62 after rescue operations recovered more bodies from the lake. Among the deceased were 16 women and 16 children. Seven individuals, including the bus conductor, managed to swim to safety.

The three individuals accused in the case were Ajay Pratap Singh, the bus owner, and Ramesh Tiwari and Shriniwas Tiwari, the conductors of the bus. They faced allegations of rash driving and operating a bus without the necessary permits.

Following a lengthy trial, the court of the district and sessions judge in Rewa concluded that the prosecution's evidence failed to establish that the bus was being driven recklessly at the time of the accident. It was also noted that the bus driver had died in the accident. The court further stated that all relevant documents pertaining to the bus were seized from the vehicle after the incident. Under these circumstances, the court found it could not be proven that the accused played any role in operating the bus without proper registration on the day of the accident.

The defense argued that the deaths occurred due to the poor condition of the road near the pond and the absence of adequate safety measures, rather than any fault on the part of their clients. The bus was brought to the Govindgarh police station after the incident, and it remains there to this day. Questions regarding the bus's fitness had been raised, and the matter was brought before the court. After 19 years of deliberation from both sides, the bus owner and conductors were acquitted. The lawyer representing the accused, Rajiv Singh Shera, stated that while the deaths were unfortunate, his clients were not at fault.

The 2006 Govindgarh bus tragedy was a devastating event that shook the entire state. The accident occurred on the day of Dhanteras, just before Diwali, a major Hindu festival. The tragedy cast a pall of gloom over numerous families, extinguishing their festive spirit. The Govindgarh pond, where the accident took place, is located 20 kilometers from Rewa. It is the second-largest pond in Madhya Pradesh, built by the Baghel kings of Rewa to address water scarcity.

In the immediate aftermath of the accident, the state government announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 to the families of the deceased. The district administration also provided Rs 5,000 to each family for cremation expenses.