30 passengers injured as truck rams luxury bus on Mumbai-Goa highway in Ratnagiri

Thirty passengers were injured at midnight on the Anjanari bridge in Ratnagiri district, on the Mumbai-Goa National Highway, when a truck heading towards Goa rammed a private luxury bus from behind.

According to the available information, the accident took place at around 3.30 am. The impact was so strong that the truck dragged the bus for about 200 metres, after which the bus overturned on the road. The driver of the bus had lost control, and panic spread among the passengers inside.

On learning of the accident, the Hatkhamba traffic police and the Lanja police reached the spot. Rescue work to take the passengers out of the bus began immediately. When it emerged that one passenger was trapped inside the bus, firefighters of the Ratnagiri MIDC fire brigade were called in. They made every effort and brought the trapped passenger out safely. With the help of the police and the rescue team, the injured were taken to hospital. Because it was the middle of the night, the agencies had to act quickly for the rescue.

The injured have been admitted to different hospitals. According to the information available, 8 passengers are in the District Government Hospital in Ratnagiri, 3 in the rural hospital in Lanja and 11 in a hospital in Pali. Details of where the remaining injured were admitted are yet to come. Official information on the condition of the injured is also awaited.

After the accident, Goa-bound traffic was completely halted for some time, raising the apprehension of long queues of vehicles on the highway. As the vehicles involved in the accident caused an obstruction, the administration made alternative arrangements. For now, one-way traffic is being run on the other lane of the highway.

The police concerned are investigating the exact cause of the accident. The cause will become clear only after the investigation.