At least 26 people, including three children, were killed and seven others injured after a private bus caught fire on Saturday on a highway in Maharashtra's Buldhana district.
According to media reports, the accident occurred around 01:30 IST (20:00 GMT on Friday), when the bus was heading towards Pune city.
A senior Police officer in Buldhana, Sunil Kadasane, said that the bus overturned after hitting a pole on the highway and burst into flames. According to the driver, who is among the survivors, the bus hit the pole after the tyre burst.
Police officials at the site told Indian media that identifying the victims has become challenging because of severe burns on the recovered bodies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a series of tweets, and announced an ex gratia payment of INR 200,000 ($2,400) from the Prime Minister Nation Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of those who lost their life and INR 50,000 ($610) for the injured.
Maharashtra state chief Eknath Shinde, his predecessor Sharad Pawar, home minister Amit Shah, and many other union ministers have expressed their condolences.
Both Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis are expected to visit the scene of the accident later in the day.