12 dead as bus plunges into gorge on old Mumbai-Pune highway

According to an IANS report, 12 people died and 28 were injured after a private bus crashed into a canyon on the Mumbai-Pune highway on Saturday.

The tragedy happened at 4 a.m. on the Pune-Mumbai highway, when the bus apparently crashed into a gully at least 50 metres below, on the perilous Borghat stretch.

There was little traffic on the highway at that early hour, but several persons managed to reach to the accident site and alerted the Raigad Police, Fire Brigade, and local trekking organisations for assistance.

According to residents, a large rescue mission was immediately begun, with ropes and climbers going down to help the casualties below, who numbered roughly 40-45 people, including the bus driver.

According to the district authorities, the injured persons were rushed to the Khopoli Civil Hospital and the Jakotia Hospital, and the private MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai for treatment.

A Raigad Police official said that a majority of the passengers were members of the Baji Prabhu Music Group, Goregaon, and were returning home after performing at a programme in Pune on Friday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed deep grief over the bus accident on the old Mumbai-Pune highway, he spoke to Raigad Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP), and also to the team engaged in a rescue operation, ANI reported.

“A compensation of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family members of the deceased and free treatment of the injured will be done in the government hospital,” the chief minister office said in is statement, according to the ANI report.