Maharashtra: Bus falls into ditch in Pune; three injured

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Three passengers were injured after a state transport bus fell into a roadside ditch in Maharashtra's Pune district on Thursday morning, police said, reported PTI.

There were a total of 35 passengers on board the bus when the accident took place near Girvali village in Ambegaon tehsil of Pune district, Ghodegaon police station's assistant police inspector Jeevan Mane said.

It was going from Bhimashankar in Pune to Kalyan in neighbouring Thane district, he said.

"The bus fell into a ditch near Girvali village. There were 35 passengers in the bus. Three of them received injuries and were rushed to a hospital," he said.

Efforts were on to pull the bus out of the ditch, he added.

In a separate accident, earlier in May 2023, as many as 16 people sustained minor injuries after a state transport (ST) bus met with an accident near Patas Toll Plaza in Yavat town of Pune district, officials said. "16 passengers were injured after a state transport (ST) bus met with an accident near Patas toll naka in Yavat town of Pune district on Tuesday night," Pune District Administration said.

In another incident, earlier in February 2023, four members of a family including a two-year-old girl were killed when their car was hit by a container truck parked negligently on the Ahmednagar-Pune highway, police said. The deceased were identified as Sudam Bhondhve (66), Sindhubai (60), Kartiki Ashwin Bhondhve (30) and Anandi Ashwin Bhondhve (02), all residents of Domari in Patoda tehsil of Beed. Another member of the family who was driving the car sustained injuries. "The family was heading towards Pune. Near Karegaon (in Pune district), it hit the container which was parked on the road in a way that obstructed traffic. All four passengers of the car died on the spot," said a police officer from Shirur police station.

In June 2023, in a horrific incident, a chemical tanker crashed on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, claiming the lives of four individuals, including two minors. The tanker collided with the divider on the Mumbai lane of the flyover, causing a fire that spread beneath the flyover and engulfed a scooter passing below. The accident resulted in a one-hour traffic holdup towards Pune and a five-hour hold-up towards Mumbai.

(With inputs from PTI)