5 Killed, 35 Injured as Bus with Pilgrims Falls in Guj

Five people were killed and 35 others injured when a private bus carrying pilgrims hailing from Madhya Pradesh fell into a deep gorge in Dang district in Gujarat early Sunday morning, police said.

- Press Trust of India

DANG:

Among the injured people, 17 were grievously hurt, they said, adding the victims were on a trip to religious places across various states in the country.

The accident took place at 4:15 a.m. when the bus driver lost control over the wheels near the Saputara hill station, in-charge superintendent of police SG Patil said. The bus, carrying 48 pilgrims, broke the crash barrier and fell at a depth of about 35 feet into the gorge, he said.

The passengers started at night for Dwarka in Gujarat from Trimbakeshwar, a religious place in Nashik district of Maharashtra. They made a brief stop at Saputara for tea break before resuming their journey when the accident occurred 2.5 km from the hill station, the official said.

"Five people died on the spot and 17 others suffered serious injuries and have been rushed to a civil hospital at Ahwa. Some others have sustained minor injuries. The rescue operation is nearly over," the official said.

The bus driver was among the deceased, comprising three men and two women, according to police.

A total of 35 passengers were taken to the nearby community health centers (CHCs) for treatment, and 17 of them were referred to the civil hospital at Ahwa in the district, Patil said.