In a tragic accident near the Saputara hill station in Gujarat’s Dang district, India, on the early hours of Sunday, February 2, 2025, a bus fell into a gorge, resulting in the deaths of five pilgrims and injuries to 46 others. The bus was carrying 51 passengers at the time of the incident.
The accident took place at 4:15 AM when the vehicle went out of control on a risky mountain road and crashed through a steel barrier near the Malegaon Forest Rest House. “The bus, carrying 48 pilgrims, broke the crash barrier and fell at a depth of about 115 feet into the gorge,” stated S.G. Patil, in-charge Superintendent of Police. Preliminary investigations suggest that a possible brake failure might have caused the accident.
The individuals who lost their lives in the accident have been identified as Guddibai Yadav, 60, Kamleshbai Yadav, 60, Bholaram Yadav, 55, Bijendra Singh Yadav, 55, and the driver, Ratanlal Jatav, 41. All victims were residents of Madhya Pradesh state’s Guna, Shivpuri, and Ashok Nagar districts.
The unfortunate bus was one among four vehicles ferrying about 200 pilgrims from the ancient Trimbakeshwar Temple in Maharashtra to the sacred city of Dwarka in Gujarat. The pilgrimage group had organized this religious journey that started in Madhya Pradesh, visited Maharashtra, and was heading towards Gujarat.
Of the injured, 24 were severely hurt and were transported to Surat Civil Hospital for specialized treatment, while 22 others received care at local medical facilities and were then discharged. The critical cases were attended by emergency medical teams from Ahwa and neighboring districts. Police and emergency response teams worked for several hours in the challenging terrain, using specialized equipment to rescue victims in the gorge.
The accident site, located near Gujarat’s only hill station, is infamous for its winding roads and sharp curves, especially the Saputara-Malegaon stretch which is particularly difficult to navigate in early morning hours due to poor visibility caused by fog and mist. Local authorities have reported multiple accidents on this specific section of road in recent years, leading to demands for enhanced safety measures.
This incident is the latest in a series of similar accidents in India’s mountainous regions. Last November, 36 people died in Uttarakhand state’s Almora district when a bus crammed with passengers fell into a 646-foot gorge. That accident led to the suspension of transport officials who had certified the vehicle despite its unsafe condition and resulted in the implementation of stricter safety protocols for mountain routes by national authorities.
Officials are now re-evaluating safety protocols for passenger buses operating on mountain routes during night hours. The state transport department has ordered immediate safety audits of all private buses operating on similar routes.
In response to the accident, state officials in Gujarat have committed to a thorough review of all crash barriers along mountain roads in the region, with a focus on sections with a history of accidents. The protocols for mountain rescues are also being evaluated to improve response times in similar situations.
