At least 10 pilgrims were killed and 24 others injured when a speeding private luxury bus carrying Shirdi Saibaba devotees crashed into a truck near Patharde here on Friday, Nashik Police said.
The accident took place around 7 a.m., when the bus from Ambernath town in Thane was speeding to the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district via Sinnar-Shirdi state highway.
The bus, carrying around 45 passengers, reportedly crashed headlong into the truck coming from the opposite direction and then overturned, resulting in the huge tragedy, said the police.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed shock and grief over the tragedy and announced a compensation of Rs.5-lakhs to the kin of all the deceased besides free medical treatment for all the injured victims.
Shinde has also ordered a detailed probe into the accident, the causes and related aspects, said an official.
Among the victims are six women, two men and two children, said the police.
Of the injured victims, 20 are admitted to the Sinnar Rural Hospital, Matoshree Hospital, Yeshwant Hospital and Salunkhe Hospital, and four were treated and allowed to go by the Sinnar Rural Hospital.
Some who are seriously injured have been rushed to the Shirdi Superspeciality Hospital and the Vavi Police have registered an accident case with the probe underway.
The police said seven of the fatalities have been identified and work is on to establish the identities of the other three others who lost their lives.
Meanwhile, on hearing of the calamity, the shocked families and friends of the victims have started rushing from Ambernath and surroundings to Nashik.
Two drowned in Pune bridge collapse, PM Modi speaks to CM Fadnavis
At least two people were killed, 32 others injured, while a total of 41 people were rescued after they fell into an overflowing river when an old bridge they were crossing collapsed in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday.
Haifa port in Israel operating normally despite Iran attack
There has been no damage to Israel’s Haifa port in the Iranian ballistic missile attack on an oil refinery nearby and cargo operations are progressing unhindered, according to media reports.
No recommendation, no discrimination: HM Amit Shah hails UP’s inclusive recruitment drive
In a historic ceremony, Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed appointment letters to 60,244 newly selected police personnel at the Defence Expo Ground in Sector 18, Vrindavan. Out of these 60,000 recruits, more than 12,000 comprised women.
Round-the-clock DNA profiling underway: FSL Gandhinagar Director explains complex process
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has been operating around the clock to identify victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash through DNA profiling and matching.
Civil Aviation Ministry issues strict instructions to DGCA to enforce chopper safety
In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash in the Gaurikund area of Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Sunday issued strict instructions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce all safety protocols related to chopper operations in hilly and sensitive areas like the Kedarnath valley.
‘Harming Indians will invite punishment’, HM Shah on Op Sindoor
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that through the anti-terror Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a strong message across the world that the bloodshed of Indians will invite punishment.
Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan's claims on downing Rafale jets
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor.
Tripura BJP stages protest over vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in B'desh
Ruling BJP in Tripura on Saturday staged state-wide protests along the Bangladesh border, protesting the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the neighbouring country.