12 devotees die in accident on Maharashtra Expressway; PM expresses pain at loss of lives

At least 12 people heading for Sailani Baba's darshan in Maharashtra died in Samruddhi Express accident. The accident took place at the Jambar village toll booth near Vaijapur when a tempo traveler ploughed into a stationary truck. PM Modi expressed shock and an ex-grata of Rs 2 lakh was announced to the next of kin of each deceased.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) : A ghastly highway accident took place near Vaijapur in Maharashtra when a tempo traveller carrying Sailini Baba dargah ploughed into a truck in the wee hours of Sunday. The devotees were going for Sailani Baba's darshan. Preliminary information has been received that 12 people have died in this accident, including a four-month-old child. Vaijapur, the scene of the accident, is about 350 kms away from Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.

Prime Minister expressed shock and pain over the human toll in the Maharashtra accident. A PMO post on X said: "Pained by the loss of lives due to an accident in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. I wish the injured a speedy recovery. An ex-grata 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"

In the mishap, about twenty other passengers have been injured and over 35 people were travelling in the tempo at the time of accident, according to official sources. They have been rushed to hospital and undergoing treatment at the Ghati Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, earlier known as Aurangabad district. The accident took place at the Jambar village toll booth on the Samruddhi highway near Vaijapur. The shocking accident took place as a speeding tempo traveler ran into a stationary truck.

According to preliminary information, all the passengers involved in the accident are found to be the residents of Pathardi and Indiranagar in Nashik district of Maharashtra. The immediate reason for the occurrence of the accident is stated to be that the driver lost control over the tempo traveller, sources said. On receiving the information about the mishap, the local police rushed to the spot. Some of the passengers were found dead on the spot and the bodies were being shifted to hospital.

The deaths were caused as the tempo traveller carrying the devotees was apparently going at a high speed leading to high impact when it ploughed into the rear of the standing truck near the toll booth. The entire driver cabin of the traveller was crushed and mangled due to the deadly accident.