Buldhana Bus Tragedy: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis have reached the accident site on the Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway where 25 people were charred to death after a bus caught fire. A total of 33 passengers were onboard the bus of which eight persons were injured.
Maharashtra police on Saturday said that tyre burst was the main cause behind the fatal tragedy in which 25 passengers of 33, including three children, were killed while eight others were injured in Buldhana district in the state. According to ANI, officials said that the driver told the police that the accident took place after a tyre burst, causing the bus to overturn. He added that later, the diesel tank of the bus caught fire.
"The driver of the bus who survived the accident said that the vehicle overturned after a tyre burst, and later caught fire killing 25 people on the spot and leaving 8 others injured," Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasane told ANI.
"There are 3 children among those who died and the rest are adults. Those injured in the accident have been taken to Buldhana Civil Hospital and admitted there," he said. "We are further looking into the matter," he added.
According to officials, the bus was travelling from Maharashtra's Yavatmal to Pune and met with an accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway in Maharashtra's Buldhana at around 1:30 am on Saturday.
Meanwhile, speaking on the incident, Maharashtra Deputy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that road construction on Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway is not responsible for the accident. He added that human error and vehicle error have appeared as a major causes of the accidents so far. Fadnavis also said that smart systems are being fixed to warn drivers and for other safety measures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the incident and offered his deepest condolences saying that the local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected. "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," PMO said in a tweet.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde earlier also annohnced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased in the bus accident on Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway in Buldhana, a statement from CMO said.
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