Gujarat: 5 killed, 35 injured as bus carrying pilgrims falls into gorge

Five persons were killed and 35 others injured when a private bus carrying pilgrims hailing from Madhya Pradesh fell into a deep gorge in Gujarat's Dang district early Sunday morning, 2 February, police said.

Among the injured persons, 17 were grievously hurt, they said, adding the victims were on a trip to religious places across various states in the country.

The accident took place at 4.15 a.m. when the bus driver lost control over the wheels near the Saputara hill station, SP (superintendent of police) in-charge S.G. Patil said.

The bus, carrying 48 pilgrims, broke the crash barrier and fell to a depth of about 35 feet into the gorge, he said.

The passengers started at night for Dwarka in Gujarat from Trimbakeshwar, a religious place in Maharashtra's Nashik district.

They had made a brief stop at Saputara for a tea break before resuming their journey, when the accident occurred 2.5 kilometres from the hill station, the official said.

"Five persons died on the spot and 17 others suffered serious injuries and have been rushed to a civil hospital at Ahwa. Some others have sustained minor injuries. The rescue operation is nearly over," the official said.

The bus driver was among the deceased, which includes three men and two women, according to the police.

A total of 35 passengers were taken to the nearby community health centres (CHCs) for treatment, and 17 of them were referred to the civil hospital at Ahwa in the district, Patil said.

The pilgrims, hailing from Madhya Pradesh, had set out in a caravan of four buses on 23 December 2024, on a trip to religious places across various states, he said.

Dang collector Mahesh Patel said the unfortunate incident occurred after one of the four buses carrying the pilgrims fell into the gorge.

"As per the passengers, they had tea and breakfast at Saputara before resuming their journey. It is likely that the driver lost control of the vehicle due to brake failure. Medical staff are working diligently to treat the injured persons," he said.

A team of locals and police personnel conducted the rescue operation. They brought out the passengers from the bus and rushed them to the CHCs for treatment.

Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior zone inspector general of police Arvind Saxena told PTI that the bus was a 52-seater. It had only 48 persons on board, hence was not overcrowded, he said.

These people set off on a pilgrimage in December and were visiting different holy places in the country, he said.

According to the initial information gathered by the MP police, the deceased have been identified as bus driver Ratan Lal Jatav, hailing from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh as well as two other men, Bolaram Kushwaha and Pappu Yadav, and two women, Guddi Bai and Kamlesh Bai Yadav, from Shivpuri district in MP, the official said.