Bus crash: Survivor of Samruddhi bus crash still haunted by victims’ screams | Nagpur News

Nagpur: It has been a year since 25 people were charred to death in a horrific bus accident on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg in Buldhana district, but the memory of the worst tragedy on the expressway since its inauguration still haunts the few survivors. One of them, Ayush Gadge, has not fully overcome the mental trauma and is now afraid to board a bus. Ayush, a 24-year-old engineer working with a multinational company in Butibori, recalls the nightmarish events when a private bus he was travelling in overturned and caught fire in Pimpalkhuta village near Sindkhedraja in Buldhana district in the early hours of July 1 last year. He remembers every detail of the incident and the screams of the victims. “It was the worst day of my life. When I returned home, my family broke down seeing me in such a condition,” he says. His family performed a puja after his miraculous rescue. Ayush prefers not to talk about the incident, though it occasionally resurfaces in conversations, bringing back memories of the terrifying scenes. The young man refocused on his physical fitness, working out in the gym and participating in sports activities. But the mental scars of that tragic day remain. “It has been a year since I last boarded a bus,” he says. The private sleeper bus was carrying passengers from Nagpur, Wardha and other districts en route to Pune. The accident had caused an uproar across the country. On July 2, a mass cremation of 24 victims was performed in Buldhana while the family of one of the victims performed the last rites after identifying the body. Ayush recalls being jolted out of his sleep when the bus hit something and overturned. “There were shards of glass everywhere and the bus had already caught fire. I initially thought I was the only survivor. After breaking through a cracked window, I jumped out, sustaining injuries to my back and hands from shattered glass. That’s when I saw the bus burst into flames and the agonised screams of fellow passengers. “It was a sight too horrific to bear,” he says, his voice shaking. As Ayush continues to struggle through life after surviving the tragedy, his story is a poignant reminder of the lasting impact such accidents have on survivors and their families. Many families were devastated that night and are still grappling with the loss of their loved ones. “About 15 days ago, I happened to pass by the accident site while travelling on the Samruddhi Expressway again. It was a disturbing experience,” says Ayush, reflecting on his journey of healing and resilience.