Speeding van knocks down women devotees along Thanjavur-Tiruchirappalli national highway

Representational Image. File Pic

A speeding van fataly knocked down five devotees, including four women, who were on a 'padyatra' along the Thanjavur-Tiruchirappalli national highway on Wednesday, reported PTI.

The victims, natives of Pudukottai district, were proceeding to Samayapuram Mariamman temple when the accident took place, said the police.

As per the PTI report, the Tiruchirappalli-bound van rammed into them at Valambakudi village, early on Wednesday.

One woman who sustained injuries has been admitted to Thanjavur government medical college hospital.

As per officials, a case has been registered and investigation is currently underway.

Chief Minister M K Stalin announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the families of the victims. In a statement, he also announced Rs one lakh to the woman undergoing treatment.

Mumbai: Five dead, 42 injured as in accident on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

A Pandharpur-bound bus carrying 'warkaris' or pilgrims hit a tractor on Mumbai-Pune Expressway leaving at least five persons killed and 42 injured, reported PTI on Tuesday.

Notably, tractors are not allowed on the expressway.

The bus was carrying 54 warkaris, devotees of Lord Vitthal, to Pandharpur in Solapur district ahead of the Ashadhi Ekadashi celebrations from Dombivli near Mumbai.

According to deputy commissioner of police Vivek Pansare, the accident took place around midnight near Panvel in Navi Mumbai.

As per the PTI report, the speeding bus hit the tractor from behind while trying to overtake it, police said. Among the five deceased, three were passengers from the bus while two were persons riding on the tractor identified as driver Tarvez Salahuddin Ahmed (27) and Deepak Sohan Rajbhar (30)

The deceased bus passengers were identified as Hausabai Hari Patil (65), Ramdas Narayan Mukadam (71) and Gurunath Bapu Patil (65), said the PTI report.

After hitting the tractor, the bus broke through the barricade of the expressway falling into a 20-feet deep gorge, an official said.

The injured pilgrims were rushed to a private hospital. As per the PTI report, the condition of seven of them was serious, he said.

Addressing the media at the Navi Mumbai hospital, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that the families of the deceased will be paid financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each and that the government will bear all expenses of the treatment.

Police were probing the causes of the accident and those responsible will face action, the CM said.

"I met each and every injured, who told me that they were alive due to the blessings of Lord Pandurang," said Shinde.