Six dead after luxury bus carrying pilgrims from MP falls into gorge in Gujarat

Over 24 passengers who were severely injured were shifted to Surat’s New Civil Hospital connected Sunday afternoon, portion the remaining were admitted to Shamgham PHC.

The bus, carrying implicit 42 passengers from Trimbakeshwar successful Nasik (Maharashtra) to Dwarka successful Gujarat, plunged into a 25-foot-deep gorge after breaking the extortion partition adjacent the Forest Department remainder location astatine Malegaon astatine 4.30 americium connected Sunday.

An FIR was lodged against the deceased operator for alleged rash and negligent driving.

The section BJP MLA and lawman Chief Whip of Gujarat Legislative Assembly Vijay Patel told The Indian Express that helium had made a practice to officials successful Gandhinagar “to widen the roads and marque corrections successful the crisp curve to forestall specified regular accidents.”

When the incidental came to the announcement of Sapurata police, constabulary inspector R S Patel called up the sarpanch of Malegaon village, Tanmayben, and her hubby Devram Thackrey and informed them to scope the spot.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Devram Thackrey said, “We person a radical of 20 youths of our colony who are ever acceptable to bash rescue operations. The roadworthy climbing down (Ghat areas) from Saputara to Malegaon is rather narrow, and determination are adjacent crisp curve turns, arsenic a effect of which, we regularly witnesser accidents of heavy loaded vehicles going from Nashik to Gujarat. We are equipped with rescue equipment, specified arsenic furniture sheets tied to bamboo sticks to assistance injured passengers, arsenic good arsenic vehicles and ropes to spell heavy into the gorge. After getting calls, our squad of 20 youths instantly reached the spot and carried retired rescue operations. Before constabulary could arrive, we shifted 20 patients from the spot to adjacent Shamgham PHC (Primary Health Centre). Later, wrong a mates of hours, each the surviving passengers were rushed to the hospital.”

Thackrey said, “Every week, 2 accidents occur, and mostly, heavy-loaded vehicles (coming from Maharashtra Nasik to Gujarat) overturn into the gorges. We have, galore times, complained to the District collector, constabulary officials, governmental leaders, and others, but to date, thing has been done.”

One of the travellers, Brijesh Bhargav, lodged a ailment against the deceased luxury autobus astatine Saputara constabulary presumption connected Sunday evening. Police registered offences nether BNS sections 281, 125(a), 125(b), 106(1).

Bhargav, successful his constabulary complaint, said that astir 200 passengers, each from Shivpuri and neighbouring districts successful MP (Madhya Pradesh), had been connected the spiritual pilgrimage from December 23 onwards successful 4 luxury buses. He alleged that the operator “lost power implicit steering.”

Engineers of the National High Authority of India (NHAI), the District collector, and apical constabulary officials reached the spot.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dang BJP MLA Vijay Patel said, “Regular accidents instrumentality spot successful the 9-kilometre country from Malegaon to downwards. The country falls connected the National Highways, and we person been regularly making requests to widen the roads and marque changes successful the crisp curve areas. I volition besides marque a practice to the authorities government, and besides speech to the higher officials of NH astatine Gandhinagar connected Tuesday.”

Navsari territory constabulary superintendent Yashpal Jagania said, “We person deployed GRD guards astatine antithetic crisp turns, which are accident-prone areas. We person besides talked to the road authorities… The accused autobus operator could not spot the crisp turn.”