11 killed, 25 hurt as Maha SRTC bus overturns in Gondia

At least 11 passengers were killed and 25 others injured after a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus overturned in Gondia district of the state on Friday afternoon, the police said.

IMAGE: Rescue operation underway at the accident site after an MSRTC bus overturned killing 11 in Gondia, Maharashtra, November 29, 2024.Photograph: ANI Photo

The bus, operated under the service name 'Shiv Shahi', was carrying 36 passengers and heading to Gondia district from Bhandara in eastern Maharashtra when it flipped over at Khajri village in Sadak Arjuni taluka after its driver applied brakes to avoid hitting a two-wheeler that suddenly came in the front, a senior police official said.

"Eleven passengers were killed and 25 others injured in the accident which took place at around 12.30 pm," he said.

The injured passengers were shifted to different hospitals, the official added.

Of the 11 deceased passengers, nine have been identified so far, while the identity of two others in their 50s is yet to be ascertained, he said.

The deceased included a 32-year-old police woman, identified as Smita Vicky Suryavanshi from Arjuni Morgaon in the district, police said.

Her husband worked in the police department and passed away a couple of years back due to some ailment.

She was given a job in the department on compassionate grounds and was currently posted at the police headquarters in Gondia.

She lived with her in-laws and a son, and was returning to duty after meeting her family, the police added.

Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

Shinde spoke to the Gondia collector and instructed that all the injured passengers be provided proper treatment and medical care.

If needed they should be admitted to private hospitals for specialised treatment and expenses for the same will be borne by the state government, a statement quoted him as saying.

Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister in the outgoing government, described the bus accident as unfortunate and offered his condolences to the bereaved family members.

In a post on X, Fadnavis said if needed, the injured passengers must be treated in private hospitals.

"I have also told the collector of Gondia to make arrangements to shift the injured to Nagpur if required for treatment," he said.

"I pray to God for speedy recovery of the injured passengers," Fadanavis added.

With a fleet of around 15,000 buses, MSRTC is one of the biggest public transport corporations in the country. Daily, around 60 lakh passengers travel on the corporation buses.