19 Injured in Bus-Tipper Collision on Samruddhi Expressway A private bus carrying 34 passengers collided with a tipper truck on the Samruddhi Expressway in Washim district, resulting in 19 injuries, four of them critical, according to local authorities. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Wednesday near Kavardari, on the stretch between Shelu Bazar and Malegaon. The Sanjay Travels bus, en route from Nagpur to Pune, struck the rear of the truck, causing the front portion of the vehicle to be completely damaged. Emergency responders and highway police arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, extricating the injured from the mangled bus. The four critically wounded individuals, including the bus driver and a cleaner, were transported to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Washim. The remaining 15 passengers, who sustained minor injuries, are also receiving treatment at the same facility. Eyewitnesses described the aftermath as chaotic, with injured passengers crying out for help amid the wreckage. Local police, led by Jaulka police station in-charge Kishor Wankhede, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the accident. Preliminary findings suggest the driver may have lost control of the bus before the collision, though further analysis is required. Wankhede stated that authorities are examining several factors, including the bus’s logbook, the driver’s hours of service, and the vehicle’s mechanical condition. The investigation will also assess whether driver fatigue, a technical malfunction, or another contributing factor led to the crash. The incident has raised concerns about road safety on the Samruddhi Expressway, a major route connecting Nagpur to Pune.#washim_district #samruddhi_expressway #sanjay_travels #kishor_wankhede #shelu_bazar
