Maharashtra bus tragedy: Rahul Gandhi condoles loss of lives
New Delhi, July 28 (IBNS): Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condoled the death of 33 people in a bus accident in Maharashtra.
"I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Raigad, Maharashtra in which a large number of people have been killed and many others injured. I appeal to Congress party workers in the area to provide all possible assistance to the injured & families of those who have died," Gandhi tweeted.
All but one passengers of a bus, carrying staff members of a university, were reportedly killed when the vehicle fell into a 500-foot gorge in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Saturday afternoon, reports said.
Confirming the death toll, District Collector Vijay Suryawanshi told the Indian Express, “33 of 34 passengers in a bus killed after it fell into a gorge near Poladpur in Raigad district today.”
According to reports, 34 staff members of Dapoli Agricultural University had left for a picnic to Mahabaleshwar on Saturday morning and had crossed hardly 15 kilometres on the Mahabaleshwar – Poladpur road when the bus skidded off the road near Ambenali ghat before falling into a deep gorge.
A person identified as Prakash Sawant has been pulled out alive from the mangled remains of the bus.
However, the Superintendent of Police of Satar said the bus was carrying 35 passengers.
NDRF teams have been rushed to the area and rescue operations are on. Local trekkers are also on the job.
Ambulances and doctors have also reached the spot.
Expressing shock at the tragic incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus accident in Maharashtra's Raigad district. My condolences to those who lost their loved ones:"
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed his condolences and said the government was doing everything it could to help.
"Pained to know about the loss of lives in the Mahabaleshwar bus accident. Administration taking all efforts to provide the required assistance. Senior officials and emergency management systems in place. My thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones and prayers for speedy recovery of injured," he tweeted.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.