11 people killed as bus carrying pilgrims rams into truck on Pune-Solapur highway

Eleven people were on Saturday killed after a bus carrying pilgrims rammed into a truck on the Pune-Solapur highway, police said.The incident took place near Koregaon village on the highway when the victims were on their way to a temple in Solapur district of Maharashtra, they said.Ten pilgrims and the bus driver were killed in the mishap.    

According to police, majority of the victims were from suburban Mulund in Mumbai and were proceeding to Akkalkot temple in Solapur when the mishap took place.    

"The driver of the bus, in a



bid to save a pig, which was crossing the road, lost control over the vehicle. As a result, the bus jumped into the opposite lane and rammed into a truck, which was coming from Solapur," said a police officer from Pune District police.    

The deceased were identified as Vijay Kale, Jyoti Kale, Yogesh Lokhande, Jayawant Chavan, Yogita Chavan, Revati Chavan, Jagdish Pandit, Shailaja Pandit, all are residents of Mulund and Pradip Awchat and Sulabha Awachat, both residents of Junnar in Pune district besides bus driver Ketan Pawar.