At least 25 people lost their lives in a tragic bus accident that took place in Maharashtra’s Buldhana in the early hours of Saturday. However, eight fortunate individuals managed to survive the mishap and shared their harrowing experience.
One survivor, Yogesh Ramdas Gavai, recounted how he and a few other passengers were able to escape the burning bus by breaking its rear window. Gavai had boarded the Vidarbha Travels bus from Nagpur, with his destination being Aurangabad. Shortly after the vehicle met with an accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway, it overturned and caught fire. Gavai credited the quick-thinking of three to four people who broke the window and escaped before an explosion occurred within the bus.
The tragedy has left many families grieving. Avanti Pohnekar from Wardha was among those who lost their lives. Having recently completed her Bachelor of Engineering (BE), Pohnekar was en route to Pune in search of job opportunities. Her relative, Chitra Dagdale, shared the heart-wrenching moment when she heard the cries of Pohnekar’s mother, notifying her about the accident.
Another victim, Sherya Wanjari, and her friend Radhika Kharse had left Wardha for Pune the previous evening. Anil Jangle, Wanjari’s brother, expressed the shock and disbelief upon learning about the tragic accident. Both Wanjari and Kharse were employed in Pune.
Buldhana Commissioner Nidhi Pande paid a visit to Deval Goan Rural Hospital to meet the injured survivors.
The accident occurred around 1:30 am on Saturday on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway in Buldhana, Maharashtra. According to reports, the bus was traveling from Nagpur to Pune when it met with the accident. The bus driver and conductor have been taken into custody by the police, said Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan. The driver attributed the accident to a burst tire, which caused flames to engulf the vehicle. Subsequently, the diesel tank caught fire. Among the casualties, there were three children, while the rest were adults. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined, said Buldhana Superintendent of Police Sunil Kadasane.
The bus had a total of 33 passengers on board, all headed towards Pune. The owner of the bus, Virendra Darna, also supported the driver’s claim that a burst tire led to the tragic incident.
