Authorities in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district have decided to conduct DNA tests to identify the victims of a tragic bus accident that occurred during the early hours of Saturday. The accident took place on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg expressway when the bus overturned and caught fire, resulting in the death of at least 25 people, with eight others sustaining injuries.
Due to the victims’ bodies being charred beyond recognition, the police are facing difficulties in identifying them, leading authorities to resort to DNA tests for accurate identification. Buldhana District Collector Dr. HP Tummod stated, “Twenty-five people have lost their lives in the accident. We are in the process of identifying the bodies and will hand them over to the relatives after DNA identification.”
The bus was travelling from Yavatmal to Pune when the accident occurred on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway in Buldhana. Three of the deceased were children, while the remaining victims were adults. The cause of the accident is yet to be determined.
Eight injured individuals have been admitted to Buldhana Civil Hospital for treatment. A total of 33 passengers were onboard the bus, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his condolences on Twitter, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Fadnavis also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased and assured that the state government would cover the medical expenses of the injured.
Preliminary information from the Superintendent of Police suggests that the bus collided with a bridge, causing the diesel tank to burst into flames. The state government closely contacts the district and police administration to monitor the situation.