Navi Mumbai, Jul 17 (IANS): Hours after five pilgrims died and over 30 others were injured after their bus collided with a tractor on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Mahatma Gandhi Mission Hospital in Navi Mumbai and met the injured.

He also announced the financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased and free treatment to the injured.

Warkari devotees had left for Pandharpur by a private bus from Dombivli (Ghesargaon) when the accident occurred on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. As many as 46 were injured, including seven seriously.

Shinde met the injured as well as doctors and discussed the treatment given to the injured. He directed the doctors to shift the patients undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit to another hospital for further treatment. He has ordered the relevant agencies to conduct a complete investigation into the accident.