7 Killed, Several Injured In Road Accident In Surat; President Extends Condolences

At least seven people were killed and several others injured after two state transport buses collided on the Gujarat-Maharashtra Highway in Gujarat’s Surat district on Tuesday, police said.

The accident took place in Bardoli tehsil along National Highway 53 (NH-53), triggering a major rescue operation. Around 25 to 30 passengers, who sustained injuries, were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, President Droupadi Murmu conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed sorrow over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next

of kin of each deceased victim. The injured will receive Rs 50,000 each.

The Prime Minister said rescue operations were underway and authorities were providing all possible assistance at the accident site.

Explaining the sequence of events, Surat Rural Superintendent of Police Rajesh Gadhiya said the accident took place occurred at around 4 pm and involved two Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses and a tractor towing a water tanker.

“One of the buses was travelling from Surat to Dhule in Maharashtra. While moving on the Bardoli-Vyara stretch of NH-53, it collided with a water tanker. Following the impact, the bus lost control, crossed the central divider and entered the opposite carriageway,” Gadhiya said.

The bus then crashed head-on into another MSRTC bus travelling from Chalisgaon in Maharashtra towards Surat.

“The bus heading towards Surat overturned into a roadside low-lying area and subsequently caught fire. Seven people have tragically lost their lives so far,” the police officer said.

Emergency services, police personnel and medical teams were deployed at the site to rescue passengers and provide treatment to the injured.

Authorities said the death toll could rise as some of the injured remain in critical condition. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident.