In a tragic incident near the Saputara hill station in Gujarat’s Dang district, India, five pilgrims lost their lives, and 35 were injured when the bus they were traveling in fell into a gorge. The bus, carrying 48 passengers, was part of a multi-state religious tour, and the accident occurred early on Sunday morning, February 2, 2025.
According to Superintendent of Police S.G. Patil overseeing the case, the accident occurred at 4:15 AM when the bus driver lost control on a treacherous mountain road. The vehicle crashed through a steel barrier near the Malegaon Forest Rest House. “The bus, carrying 48 pilgrims, broke the crash barrier and fell about 35 feet into the gorge,” Patil stated. Preliminary findings indicate that brake failure may have contributed to the crash.
Police reports have stated that the victims who lost their lives in the accident include the bus driver, Ratanlal Jatav, along with two men, Bholaram Koswa and Bijroni Yadav, and two women, Guddibai Yadav and Kailashbai Yadav.
The ill-fated bus was part of a four-vehicle convoy transporting approximately 200 pilgrims from the ancient Trimbakeshwar Temple in Maharashtra to the holy city of Dwarka in Gujarat. The pilgrimage group organized the journey as part of their religious rituals, which began in Madhya Pradesh, stopped in Maharashtra, and headed towards Gujarat.
Of the injured, 17 were critically wounded and transported to Surat Civil Hospital for specialized treatment. The others were treated at local medical facilities and released. Emergency medical teams from Ahwa and surrounding districts were dispatched to transport the most severely injured. Local police and emergency responders spent hours in the rugged terrain, using specialized equipment to reach the victims in the gorge.
The accident site near Gujarat’s only hill station is known for its twisty roads and sharp bends. The Saputara-Malegaon stretch is tough to navigate early in the morning due to reduced visibility caused by fog and mist, which are common in the area. In recent years, local authorities have reported multiple accidents on this road, prompting calls for improved safety measures.
This latest incident follows a series of similar accidents in India’s mountainous regions. Last November, 36 people died in Uttarakhand state’s Almora district when an overloaded bus fell into a 197-foot gorge. This past accident led to the suspension of transport officials who had sanctioned the overburdened vehicle, prompting national authorities to enforce stricter safety protocols for mountain routes.
Officials are reassessing safety protocols for buses operating on mountain routes during night hours. The state transport department has mandated immediate safety audits for all private buses operating on similar routes.
Following the incident, state officials in Gujarat announced plans to review all crash barriers along the region’s mountain roads, emphasizing sections with a history of accidents. Emergency rescue protocols for mountainous areas are also being evaluated to improve response times in future incidents.
