In a major tragedy, at least 25 people, including three children, were charred to death when the bus they were travelling in caught fire on a highway in Maharashtra.

Eight others sustains burn injuries in the incident.

According to reports, about 33 people were in the bus which was on its way to Pune. The incident occurred at around 2 am on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway.

Police said the bus rammed into a divider following a tyre burst and caught fire near Buldhana.

"25 people were burnt to death in the accident. The injured, including the bus driver, have been shifted to a hospital for treatment, said, Sunil Kadasane, Superintendent of Police, Buldhana.

He said a case has been registered and investigation is on.

 "The priority at this moment is to identify the bodies and hand them over to their family members," the police official said.