New Delhi, Jul 28 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed grief over the death of at least 10 passengers in a bus accident in Maharasthra's Raigad district.

"Pained by the loss of lives due to the bus accident. My condolences to those who lost their loved ones," Modi said in a tweet.

Gandhi too condoled the deaths and urged state Congress leaders to provide all assistance to the injured.

"I'm sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in which many persons were killed and others injured. I appeal to area Congress workers to provide all possible assistance to the injured and bereaved families," Gandhi said in a tweet.

According to police, around 35 staff of Konkan Agriculture University in Ratnagiri, including some women, were on way for a weekend picnic to popular tourist destinations of Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani when the bus fell 500 feet down into the ravine around 9 a.m. near Poladpur.