Anxious wait for families of Shirdi pilgrims in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, June 16 (IANS) Families of Shirdi pilgrims travelling in a bus, which met with an accident in Maharashtra's Osmanabad district early Saturday, were anxiously waiting for some information about their near and dear ones.

Dozens of people gathered at the office of Sree Kaleswari Travels in LakdiKa Pul here, seeking information about their relatives. They complained that the private travel operator has no details about the victims.

At least 32 people were killed and about 15 injured when the bus fell off a bridge near Jakot village, 40 km from Osmanabad, on the Hyderabad-Sholapur highway around 3 a.m.

The bus carrying about 50 passengers had left Hyderabad Friday night for popular pilgrim centre Shirdi in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district.

The passengers included 14 employees of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). A police officer, who was trying to gather information at the travel office, said one of the TCS employees escaped with injuries.

The police were facing difficulty in gathering details of the passengers as they had booked tickers either online or from various travel agencies in Hyderabad.

The passengers could not be reached on their mobile phones.

Expressing shock over the mishap, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the officials to provide all help to the victims and their families.

All the injured were shifted to hospitals in Osmanabad and Sholapur.

R.V. Chandravadan, commissioner, information and public relations, said steps were being taken to bring bodies to Hyderabad. "If necessary, the injured will be brought here for treatment," he said.

A team of state government officials including police and medical officers have left for Osmanabad.