Driver in Maharashtra bus tragedy was drunk: Report

A forensic probe into the July 1 bus tragedy in Maharashtra's Buldhana, in which 25 passengers were charred to death, has revealed that its driver was under the influence of liquor when the accident occurred, a police official said on Friday.

The sleeper coach bus caught fire after hitting a divider on the Nagpur-Mumbai 'Samruddhi Expressway' at Pimpalkhuta village in Buldhana in the wee hours of Saturday. Eight persons, including the driver and 'cleaner' (driver's assistant), survived the horrific accident.

The driver, identified as Danish Shaikh, was subsequently arrested for negligent driving.

Talking to PTI, a senior police official said, "The chemical analysis report of the regional Forensic Science Laboratory revealed that 0.30 per cent alcohol was found in the blood sample of the driver."

"The percentage of the alcohol content must have been much higher as the driver's blood sample was taken 12 to 13 hours after the accident," he said.

Earlier, a report prepared by the Amaravati Regional Transport Office (RTO) said as per details provided by a survivor, the bus dashed into a steel pole on the right side, leading to the driver losing control. It then hit the divider.

After the front axle assembly got dislocated, the front portion of the bus hit the road and the resultant friction generated heat and fire (as engine oil temperature was also high since the bus was in on mode), the report said.

The vehicle then overturned on its left side, which blocked the passenger entrance-exit, and the loss of alignment of the vehicle due to the impact of the accident also made the emergency door inoperative, creating a virtual death trap for the passengers.