MUMBAI, Jan 29 (NNN-PTI) — The death toll from a state transport bus accident on Tuesday afternoon, in India’s state of Maharashtra rose to 20, with 30 other injured passengers admitted to hospital, local police said.
The accident happened when the driver of the bus lost control, after one of the tyres burst, and it collided with a three-wheeler auto, and fell into a 70-foot well, at Malegaon, 271 km northeast of Mumbai. The well near the highway was close to an open-air laundromat or lavoir (wash house).
The bus was travelling towards Nashik city. The three-wheeler vehicle had seven passengers, local police said.
The death toll could rise further, as it could not be ascertained whether any passengers were still stuck inside the bus, as rescue operations are underway.
The state government announced a monetary compensation for the dead and would bear the entire medical costs of injured victims.
Malegaon is a textile hub in India’s southwestern state of Maharashtra.
