Dang, Gujarat, February 4: A tragic accident claimed the lives of five people and left 35 others injured when a private bus carrying pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh plunged into a 35-foot-deep gorge in Gujarat’s Dang district early Sunday morning, police said.
Among the injured, 17 sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a civil hospital in Ahwa. The victims were on a pilgrimage to various religious sites across India, officials added.
The incident occurred at around 4:15 am when the driver lost control near the Saputara hill station, causing the bus to break through a crash barrier and tumble into the gorge, said Superintendent of Police SG Patil.
The pilgrims had departed from Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, heading towards Dwarka in Gujarat. They had made a brief stop at Saputara for tea before resuming their journey, when the accident happened just 2.5 kilometers from the hill station.
“Five people died on the spot, while 17 others suffered severe injuries and have been admitted to Ahwa Civil Hospital. Several others sustained minor injuries. The rescue operation is nearly complete,” Patil confirmed.
The deceased included the bus driver, identified as Ratan Lal Jatav from Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, along with passengers Bolaram Kushwaha, Pappu Yadav, Guddi Bai, and Kamlesh Bai Yadav, all from Shivpuri district in MP.
Authorities noted that the 52-seater bus was carrying 48 passengers, meaning it was not overloaded. Dang Collector Mahesh Patel stated that initial reports suggest a possible brake failure led to the accident.
Medical teams are actively attending to the injured, while local residents and police personnel worked together in a swift rescue operation to evacuate passengers and transport them to nearby community health centers for treatment.