In a tragic incident, twenty five passengers were charred to death after a bus caught fire on the Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district on Saturday, police said.
According to the officials, the private travels bus was on way from Nagpur to Pune when it rammed into a divider around 1.30 am near Sindkhedraja in Buldhana district, police said.
Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasne told PTI that as per preliminary information, a bus tyre burst and the vehicle hit a pole, collided with a divider and caught fire.
According to Buldhana Police Deputy SP Baburao Mahamuni, “25 bodies were extracted from the bus. A total of 33 people were travelling on the bus. 6-8 people were injured. The injured are being shifted to Buldhana Civil Hospital.”
The remaining eight passengers who sustained injuries have been rushed to nearby hospital and are safe, he added.
The driver of the bus is safe, according to Kadasane.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ordered a probe into the accident and announced ex-gratia of Rs five lakh for the families of each deceased.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the bodies of the deceased were charred beyond recognition and if the identity of the victims is not established, then DNA testing will be conducted.
Expressing his grief over the tragic accident, PM Modi tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected."
"An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured: PM @narendramodi", tweeted PMO.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said quick treatment is being provided to the injured.
"Quick treatment is being provided to the injured by the administration. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of those injured," Shah tweeted in Hindi.
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said the heart-wrenching incident of a bus catching fire in Maharashtra claiming 25 lives was extremely disturbing and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday offered his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in a tragic bus accident in Maharashtra's Buldhana.
"The bus accident happened in Buldhana, Maharashtra is tragic. My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this horrific accident, we are with them at this time of grief. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Kejriwal said in a tweet.
