Fadnavis, Rahul condole deaths in Maha bus accident

Expressing grief over the death of 33 people in a bus accident in Maharashtra's Raigad district, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the administration was trying to provide all the necessary assistance.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also expressed sorrow over the accident.

Fadnavis said he was pained to know about the loss of lives in the accident.

"Administration taking all efforts to provide the required assistance. Senior officials & emergency management systems in place," Fadnavis tweeted.

"My thoughts are with families who lost loved ones & prayers for speedy recovery of injured," he added.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Raigad, Maharashtra in which a large number of people have been killed and many others injured. I appeal to Congress party workers in the area to provide all possible assistance to the injured & families of those who have died."

State Congress chief Ashok Chavan said, "Extremely sad to hear about the accident of a bus near Poladprur in Raigad district carrying 33 employees of Konkan Agriculture University. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this horrifying accident."

The leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the accident was very unfortunate.

"I pay my homage to those who perished," he said.

A bus, on its way to a hill station, fell into a gorge in Raigad district of Maharashtra this afternoon killing 33 passengers, senior officials said.

The passengers were on their way to Mahabaleshwar, a hill station in Satara district, for a picnic, when the driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn and fell into the gorge.

All passengers on the bus were all staff of Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli town.