INDIA. Mumbai: Ten passengers, including six women and a child, were killed and 34 others were injured when a luxury bus carrying pilgrims to the Sai Baba shrine in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, collided with a truck at Pathre-Pimpalwadi on the Nashik-Shirdi highway on Friday morning.
The incident occurred around 6.30 a.m. near Pathare Shivar in Nashik’s Sinnar tehsil, around 180 km from Mumbai.
The private luxury bus, which had started from Ambernath in Thane district at about 11.30 p.m. on Thursday night, was heading for the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, officials said.
In all, 15 buses carrying different groups of pilgrims had begun their journey towards Shirdi. Of these, the fifth bus met with a tragic accident on the Pathre-Pimpalwadi one-way.
After the bus (No. MH 04-FK 2751) rammed into a truck (No. MH 48-T 1295), it overturned, killing some of the occupants instantly. The injured have been admitted to the Sinnar Rural Hospital and Yashwant Hospital.
The death count may increase as the condition of some of the injured is critical, officials said.
The deceased were identified as: Pramila Prakash Gondhali (45), Vaishali Naresh Ubale (32), Sraavani Suhas Baraskar (30), Sradhha Suhar Barskar (04), Diksha Santosh Gondhali (18), Roshani Rajesh Wadekar (30), Ayushyman alias Sai Prashant Mahanti (05), Naresh Manohar Ubale (38), and Balaji Krishna Mohanti (25). The identity of the 10th deceased was to be established.
The injured included Varsh Rani Behra (31), Yogita Sandesh Wadekar (30), Mayuri Mahesh Bait (23), Shrutika Santosh Gondhali (42), and Ranjan Prabhakr Potale (40).
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who expressed grief over the loss of life, ordered an inquiry into the accident and announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.
Shinde also directed the authorities to shift the injured passengers to hospitals in Shirdi and Nashik and provide them with proper treatment.
Guardian Minister Dada Bhuse visited the hospitals and inquired about the well-being of the injured.
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