Twitter
Advertisement

33 killed as bus falls into a steep gorge in Raigad

One lives to tell the tale; state offers ex-gratia

Latest News
article-main
A photo of the 34 varsity staffers before the fateful trip
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Thirty-three people were killed after their bus fell into a gorge at Ambenali Ghat near Poladpur tehsil, in Raigad district on Saturday morning. All the passengers were employees of the Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli. They were headed for a picnic to Mahabaleshwar. The lone survivor of the ill-fated vehicle, Prakash Sawant Desai, who works as an assistant superintendent at the university, had jumped out and held on to a tree as the bus started hurtling down into the 300-feet-deep gorge. Sawant said that mud and loose stones on the ghat caused the bus tyres to skid. "The driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn and fell into the gorge," said superintendent of police Anil Paraskar.

Desai called his university colleagues from his mobile and sought help. The varsity administration immediately informed the police. Officials from Poladpur tehsil said that the accident occurred around 11.30 am. The Mahabaleshwar police received the information around 11.40 am.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Pune reached the site around 12.30 pm. However, the local administration had already sought help from locals. "Around 16 to 17 trekkers from Wai and Poladpur village were roped in for the rescue operation," said Shrinivas Kherkar, an official from, Poladpur tehsil. "A dozen ambulances and 15 doctors also reached the spot," said additional SP Sanjay Patil.

The Maharashtra government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of those who died in Raigad bus accident.

The government also said that it would bear the medical expenses of those who were injured in the accident.

Condoling the loss of lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "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 said the government was making all efforts to provide required assistance. "Pained to know about the loss of lives in Mahabaleshwar bus accident," the CM tweeted.

Administration taking all efforts to provide required assistance. Senior officials and emergency management systems in place," Fadnavis tweeted.

Rescuers and locals managed to pull out 14 bodies from the site till late evening. District Collector Vijay Suryawanshi confirmed that the bus was carrying 34 staff members of the agriculture university. All the 34 members had left the college premises in Dapoli around 6.30 am. The group had formed a WhatsApp group. They had even posted pictures of their journey to colleagues who did not join them but the group fell silent in the afternoon.

The bus driver, Prashant Bhanbid (33), a resident of Dapoli lost control of the bus after he turned back to listen to a joke cracked by the other passengers. Bhanbid's brother, Manoj said that he had been driving for the past nine years. Bhanbid is survived by a two-year-old son.

Bharat Shitole, additional collector, Raigad said that 14 bodies were already handed over to the families of the dead. "Some bodies could be trapped inside debris. Our rescue operation is still going on," he said.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement