Gondia (Maharashtra) [India], November 29 : The death toll in a bus accident in Maharastra's Gondia district on Friday has gone up to 11 after three more people succumbed to their injuries, with 34 others injured, police said.
The accident occurred on Friday afternoon near Bindravana Tola village, along the Gondia-Arjuni road, when a Maharashtra State Transport bus overturned. The bus, travelling from Nagpur to Gondia, had over 40 passengers on board at the time of the incident.
Initially, eight passengers were reported dead. However, the toll later increased to eleven.
"34 people have been injured, and 11 have died. Treatment of those injured in the accident is underway. One of the deceased was from Nagpur, another from Chandrapur, a few from Bhandara, and some from Gondia," said Gondia District Collector Prajit Nair told ANI.
Following the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
"Distressed by the loss of lives in the bus mishap in Gondia, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM Narendra Modi," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a post on X.
Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also issued an order for immediate medical care for the injured. "A State transport Shivshahi bus overturned in a horrific accident. Eight bodies have been recovered from the site of the incident, and the death toll is expected to increase. Information about the situation was taken from the local administration. Instructions have been issued for immediate and proper treatment of the injured," Maharashtra CMO said in a statement.
Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister in the outgoing Maharashtra government also offered his condolences to the bereaved family members. "It is very unfortunate that a Shivshahi bus met with an unfortunate accident near Sadak Arjun in Gondia district in which some passengers died. I pay my heartfelt respects to the deceased. We share the grief of their families," Fadnavis wrote in a post on X.