Amravati, Maharashtra (Sept. 23, 2024): Four people were killed, and 44 others were injured when a private bus carrying approximately 50 to 55 passengers plunged into a deep gorge near Semadoh in Chikhaldara Taluka on the Paratwada-Dharni road.
The deceased have been identified as Pranjali Raghunath Ingle (38, resident of Amravati), Rajendra Motilal Pal (59, resident of Bhorkarbardi), Pallavi Kadam (32, resident of Amravati), and Phulwanti Raju Kajale (34, resident of Rohini Kheda, Madhya Pradesh).
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The incident occurred around 8 a.m. when the bus, operated by Chawla Company, was traveling from Paratwada to Dharni. The injured were initially treated at the Semadoh Primary Health Center before being referred to Achalpur Sub-District Hospital.
The bus driver was also injured and is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Achalpur.
Teachers and government employees from various schools in Melghat often travel by this private bus. Pranjali Ingle worked as a nutritionist in Melghat, while Pallavi Kadam served as a community health officer. Rajendra Pal had recently retired from Vasantrao Dharani Naik College in Dharani.
Earlier in the morning, media reports suggested that 12 people had died. However, by the afternoon, the situation clarified, and the death toll decreased.
The bus, which left Amravati at 5 a.m., was reportedly delayed by half an hour. To make up for lost time on the winding roads of Melghat, the driver was driving at high speed. Continuous heavy rain since morning hindered rescue operations, contributing to confusion regarding the death toll, which persisted until the afternoon.