Guj: 1lakh ex gratia for kins of bus victims

Anand, May 15: Chief Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs one lakh to each of the kin of victims of the bus accident which took place here last evening killing 27 people.

The tragedy occurred at around 1830 hrs yesterday when a GSRTC CNG bus going from Mehsana to Rameshra in Baroda and an LPG tanker also going in the same direction, collided with an oncoming large container truck carrying heavy aluminium angles.

The dead included 21 occupants of the bus, four women working in the nearby filed and the drivers of LPG tanker and the truck.

The driver of the bus, which was carrying 23 passengers, has been shifted to SSG Hospital, while the conductor and three others are being treated here at Anand Nagarpalika hospital with serious injuries.

The collision led to a giant fireball with the bus, the tanker and the truck being gutted in the process.

Fire brigades from Anand, Vadodara and IPCL were pressed into action and the fire was brought under control at around 2200 hrs.

An ice-cream cart vendor got seriously injured when the LPG tanker turned turtle.

Officials fear that many bodies could have been completely destroyed in the inferno and could take the toll further.

Of the four women who were burnt to death, three have been identified as Manjulaben, Pushpaben and Sunitaben.

Four bodies have been kept at Anand General Hospital, while 24 bodies have been sent to SSG hospital in Vadodara.

The accident has left the NH8 completely blocked and the work of clearing the highway with cranes is continuing in full-swing and is expected to be over by this evening.

UNI