Twelve persons were killed and six injured after a minibus fell into a river early on Saturday, an official said. The incident occurred when the private bus with at least 16 passengers was heading from Ratnagiri to Kolhapur. Around 12.45 a.m. when the vehicle was speeding along the Shivaji Bridge on the Panchganga River, the driver apparently lost control.

The bus rammed into the stone barriers before it plunged some 80-feet below into the waters. Police and disaster teams were engaged in a massive search and rescue operation.