At least 12 passengers, including a two-year-old child, were killed and 43 others injured after a private bus hit a trailer truck and caught fire in Nashik city of Maharashtra early on Saturday, police officials said.
After ramming the truck, the bus also hit a mini-van, causing it to overturn.
All the deceased passengers were from the bus. Some of them were charred while some were identified, a police officer said, adding that DNA tests will be conducted to establish the identity of the unknown deceased.
The accident occurred at Nandur Naka on Nashik-Aurangabad highway around 5.15 am when the bus, a 'sleeper coach', was coming from Yavatmal in eastern Maharashtra and travelling towards Mumbai, police said.
Of the 12 deceased, five have been identified so far. Among the rest seven, most of them were charred to death, the officer said.
"A luxury bus travelling to Mumbai from Yavatmal hit a trailer truck going to Pune at an intersection near Mirchi Hotel on Nashik-Aurangabad highway. After ramming the truck, the bus caught fire. It also hit a cargo van which overturned due to the impact. 12 passengers died and 43 others suffered injuries," a police official said.
The deceased included a two-year-old child, he said, adding that the bus was completely destroyed in the incident.
The injured persons were admitted to the District Civil Hospital and some private medical facilities in Nashik, city Police Commissioner Jayant Naiknavare said.
Drivers of the bus and the truck fled the spot after the incident, the official said.
On being alerted, the police, fire brigade and other agencies reached the spot and launched a rescue operation and the fire was doused. However, the bus was completely gutted in the incident, the official said.
Some eyewitnesses said the fire was so intense that they could not do anything to save the passengers for some time and had to stand there helplessly.
Later in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the spot of the accident and ordered a detailed inquiry. He said instructions had been given to authorities to conduct a survey to identify "accident black spots" in Nashik city and the rest of the state.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
The prime minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
CM Shinde announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the dead and said the medical expenses of the injured would be borne by the state government.
The chief minister also visited the Nashik district civil hospital, where most of the injured persons were admitted. He also interacted with the kin of the injured and the deceased persons.
Shinde said strict action would be taken against the people responsible for the tragedy after the inquiry.
“This is a big accident wherein 12 people have lost their lives. The government will take appropriate action to avoid the recurrence of such incidents. I have inspected the accident spot and ordered a detailed inquiry," he told reporters at the civil hospital.
A police officer said the kin of the accident victims, who hail from the Yavatmal district, have been informed.
Police have registered a case against the drivers of both the vehicles involved in the accident, he said.
"We have registered an FIR against the driver of the private bus and the driver of the container trailer truck for causing death by negligence of the passengers travelling in the luxury bus," he said.
A case was registered under sections 304 (A) (Causing death by negligence ), 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way) 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), 337 ( Causing hurt by an act which endangers human life, etc), 338 (Causing grievous hurt by an act which endangers human life,), 427 (Mischief causing damage to others) of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 184, 134 (A) (B) of Motor Vehicle Act.
