New Delhi, Jan 3 – At least 27 passengers were killed and 18 others injured when a state transport bus fell into a deep ravine in the western Indian state of Maharashtra Thursday morning, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a local media report.
The accident took place around 10:30 a.m. (local time) at Malshej Ghat of the Thane district near Pune city when the bus driver lost control of vehicle at a steep curve on the treacherous hilly road.
Helped by local villagers, police and fire brigade personnel from Thane and Pune are working together in a rescue operations in the steep mountain slopes.
Several people who were wounded were rushed to hospitals in Murbad and Thane.
The toll is likely to go up, police said.
A previous TV report said the bus plunged into the gorge after being rammed by a truck.
Xinhua reported that road accidents take place frequently in India, mainly due to reckless driving, bad road conditions and over-packing of passengers. An estimated 100,000 people are killed each year on the road in various accidents in India.
– Bernama
