Efforts on to convince kin for mass cremation of Maharashtra bus fire victims: Official

As most of the victims of bus fire tragedy in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district have been charred beyond recognition, efforts are on to convince their families for mass cremation of the bodies instead of their DNA analysis, a senior official said on Sunday.

As most of the victims of bus fire tragedy in Maharashtra's Buldhana district have been charred beyond recognition, efforts are on to convince their families for mass cremation of the bodies instead of their DNA analysis, a senior official said on Sunday.

The DNA testing is a lengthy procedure which may take days to ascertain the identity of the deceased, as per sources.

Twenty five passengers were charred to death as the private bus they were travelling in caught fire after hitting a divider on the Nagpur-Mumbai 'Samruddhi Expressway' in eastern Maharashtra’s Buldhana district in the early hours of Saturday, police earlier said.

The deceased included 11 male and 14 female passengers. Ten of the victims were from Wardha, seven from Pune, four from Nagpur and two each from Yavatmal and Washim.

Eight persons, including the driver and `cleaner' (driver's assistant) survived the horrific accident.

Family members of the 25 deceased have reached Buldhana, according to local administration.

The district administration has been holding talks with the victims' relatives since Saturday evening to convince them for mass cremation of the bodies rather than going for the DNA analysis, it said.