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Buldhana bus accident survivor recounts horror: ‘Broke window, escaped’
According to the survivor, he along with three to four other passengers managed to escape the vehicle by breaking its rear window.
One of the survivors of the tragic bus accident in Maharashtra's Buldhana district which killed 25 passengers on Saturday, recounted the experience of escaping the burning vehicle. According to the survivor, he along with three to four other passengers managed to escape the vehicle by breaking its rear window.
“I boarded the Vidarbha Travels bus from Nagpur for Aurangabad. After the bus met with an accident on Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway, it overturned and caught fire immediately…Around four of us broke the rear window of the bus and escaped…Soon after we got out of the vehicle, there was a blast,” the survivor told news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, a local resident told PTI that those passengers who escaped sought help from other vehicles on the highway, but no one stopped. “Many accidents take place on this route at Pimpalkhuta. We were called for help and when we went there, we saw the horrible situation. The tyres had fallen apart…The fire was so intense that we could not do anything. We were in tears,” the resident said.
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The incident took place around 2 am on Saturday when the bus was on its way from Nagpur to Pune and rammed into a divider near Sindkhedraja in Buldhana district. According to preliminary information, a tyre burst was the main cause behind the accident after which the vehicle hit a pole, collided with a divider and caught fire, reported PTI citing Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasne.
PM Modi, Maha CM announce ex-gratia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the accident on Saturday and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of those who died. He also announced ₹50,000 to those who were injured in the mishap.
“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 ₹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. ₹50,000 would be given to the injured,” the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde also announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased in the bus accident, according to his office.
