New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed anguish at the loss of lives in an accident in West Bengal's Birbhum district and announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

At least nine persons, including eight women farm labourers, died when an autorickshaw and a state transport bus collided on National Highway-60 in Bengal's Birbhum district on Tuesday afternoon, a senior police officer said.

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The incident occurred at Mallarpur near Rampurhat when the overcrowded auto rickshaw collided head-on with the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) bus.

"Anguished by the loss of lives due to a tragic accident in Birbhum district of West Bengal. Prayers with the injured," Modi was quoted as saying in a tweet by his office.

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Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and the injured would be given Rs 50,000, Modi said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)