23 killed in Maharashtra bus accident

Raigad (Maharashtra), May 28 (IANS) At least 23 people were killed and another 10 injured when a tempo hit two stationery private mini-buses on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway early Monday, officials said.

The accident occured near Khalapur, around 80 km from Mumbai.

According to the Raigad police control, the accident occurred shortly after midnight when one of the two ill-fated mini-buses had halted for rectifying some technical problem.

Suddenly, a speeding loaded tempo hit the two buses from the rear, instantaneously killing many of the occupants sleeping in the bus and running over the others who were waiting for a relief bus.

The buses, carrying members of a marriage party from Ghatkopar suburb of north-east Mumbai, was returning to Pune when the gruesome accident occurred near the Khalapur village, an official said.

Another 10 injured passengers have been rushed to hospitals in Mumbai, Thane and Pune.

One of the bus driver, who survived, told mediapersons that the victims were taken completely unawares by the speeding tempo and a majority of them succumbed instantaneously after the hit.