People inspect the wreckage at the site of the bus accident. (Reuters)

Gangtok, Oct. 26: The death toll in the Bageykhola bus accident has gone up with three more persons succumbing to multiple injuries at Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital and at Manipal Central Referral Hospital in Tadong.

Among the 21 dead are three children. The bus belonging to the state operated Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) fell 500 ft below the NH31A at Bageykhola — between Rangpo and Singtam — at 4pm yesterday. It was apparently trying to give way to a vehicle coming from the opposite direction while negotiating a sharp turn.

State transport minister Menlom Lepcha, who convened a meeting at Yatayat Bhavan here today, said a departmental inquiry has been ordered. Two additional secretaries in the transport department R.V. Gurung and C.T. Wangdi will head the probe panel.

“They have been asked to place a comprehensive report in two days’ time,” Lepcha said.

The minister also said a search team has been formed to track down missing persons as well as the bus driver Mohan Kumar Sharma. A case has been registered against Sharma at the Singtam police station under Sections 279, 338, 304A of the IPC for rash and negligent driving and causing death and grievous injury.

The state government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of those who have died in the accident. A sum of Rs 30,000 has been announced as relief for those with serious injuries and Rs 10,000 for those who escaped with minor injuries.