President Murmu expresses grief over Maharashtra bus accident

The accident spot. Pic/PTI

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said the heart-wrenching incident of a bus catching fire in Maharashtra claiming 25 lives was extremely disturbing and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

Twenty-five passengers were charred to death after their bus caught fire after hitting a divider following a tyre burst on the Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra's Buldhana district in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

Eight others, including the bus driver and its cleaner, survived the tragedy as they managed to come out of the burning vehicle through broken windows, they said.

"The heart-wrenching tragedy in Buldhana, Maharashtra, claiming many precious lives, including children and women, is extremely disturbing."

"My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. May they have enough courage to bear this tragic loss. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Murmu tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those who died in the bus accident in Buldhana on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway on Saturday, news agency ANI reported.

"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. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting PM Modi.

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