President Draupadi Murmu has expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said that loss of lives in the Maharashtra bus accident is deeply distressing. She also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.“The loss of lives in a bus accident in Raigad, Maharashtra is deeply distressing. My condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the president tweeted.At least 13 people were declared dead and 29 people were injured after a bus fell into a gorge in the Khopoli area of Maharashtras Raigad district early Saturday morning. The deceased also included at least five minors. According to the information, the local police officials said that the incident took place at 4 am and rescue operations have been completed on the old Mumbai-Pune highway.Union minister Amit Shah also condoled the loss of lives and also informed that he spoke to Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra and Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about the incident.Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah said “The loss of lives in the road accident in Raigad, Maharashtra is very sad. I talked to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in this regard. The local administration is engaged in relief work. I express my condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”42 members of the “Baji Prabhu Vaadak Group” from Mumbais Goregaon were being transported in the bus. After taking part in an event in the Pimpri Chinchwad neighbourhood of the Pune district, they were traveling back to Goregaon. Around one in the morning on Saturday, the bus left the location, according to a police official, who additionally stated that 13 of them died in the collision that also injured 29 others.After hearing about the event, a team of local police, trekkers, and IRB company employees flocked to the area and started a rescue mission, according to the police. According to them, the injured were taken to three separate hospitals, including the MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai, a public facility in Khopoli, and a private facility there.The majority of those killed and hurt were from the Mumbai neighbourhoods of Goregaon and Sion, as well as Virar in the nearby Palghar district. Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, expressed sorrow over the accident and provided an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each deceased. Five of the injured, according to Shinde, are in critical condition. After visiting a hospital in Navi Mumbai, where the majority of the injured were being treated, the CM paid a visit to the accident scene.According to the statement by Chief Ministers Office, earlier in the day chief minister also spoke to the district collector and officials and directed them to ensure that the injured people get the proper treatment. The chief minister also praised the efforts of the IRB personnel and the members of the hiking group involved in the rescue operations.As per the information, the passengers of the bus belonged to a musical troupe from the Goregaon area that has gone to Pune for an event and was returning.
