Maharashtra bus accident: Home Minister Amit Shah expresses grief over the incident

Amit Shah, Home Minister of India

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his grief over the tragic bus accident that took place on Saturday in Maharashtra's Buldhana and said quick treatment is being provided to the injured, news agency PTI reported.

At least 25 passengers were charred to death after the bus caught fire on the Samruddhi Expressway in Buldhana district early Saturday morning.

"The road accident in Maharashtra's Buldhana district is heartbreaking. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident." "Quick treatment is being provided to the injured by the administration. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of those injured," Shah tweeted in Hindi.

The private bus was on its way from Nagpur to Pune when it rammed into the divider around 1.30 am near Sindkhedraja and caught fire, police told PTI.

A release from the CM office on Saturday said that the Mahrashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde "has expressed deep grief over the horrific accident of a private bus on the Samriddhi highway near Sindkhedaraja in Buldhana district." The Chief Minister has announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the relatives of the deceased in the incident, said the release.

Nationalist Congress Party's Saleem Sarang took to Twitter to grill the state government over the accident. In a tweet written in Marathi, Sarang addressed the tragic incident and highlighted the importance of investigating its cause to prevent similar accidents in the future.

"The Samriddhi Highway, advertised by the government as the destiny line of Maharashtra, has claimed the lives of 26 citizens today. Even though there are many incidents of tire bursting accidents due to continuous friction over long distances, the administration has ignored it. As a result, today we have to witness such an unfortunate accident. It is necessary for the state government to investigate the cause behind this accident and take urgent measures to prevent such loss of life in the future," he said.

In a tweet, PM Modi said that he was deeply "saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra."

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected," the prime minister added.

(This is a developing story and will be updated as and when more inputs are received)