Thirteen people have died, and 18 were injured, after a privately-owned bus burst into flames after it collided with a truck in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna last night. The bus, owned by BJP leader Dharmendra Sikarwar, had expired fitness and insurance certificates, and road tax had not been paid since 2021.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav called it a “heart-breaking incident” and said he had ordered a probe. He vowed “strict action” against those responsible. “I am in constant contact with the District Collector and SP (Superintendent of Police). I am visiting Guna right now,” he said.
गुना बस हादसे में 13 लोग ज़िंदा जल गये, बीजेपी नेता की बस थी फिटनेस 2015 में खत्म, इंश्योरेंस 2009, रोड टैक्स 2021 … फिर भी बस दौड़ रही थी pic.twitter.com/HW2C3gNqDc
— Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) December 28, 2023
“We will try to ensure such an incident does not happen again. I have ordered an inquiry. We are trying to find out information about the permit of the bus and how the accident occurred.”
Mr Yadav expressed his condolences to the families of those killed, and ordered compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to those families and Rs 50,000 to each of those injured.
Madhya Pradesh Guna Bus Accident: What Happened?
Police said the bus was travelling from Guna to Aron, which are about 40 km apart. Carrying about 30 passengers, and a driver and conductor, it set off at 8 pm. The collision took place at 8.30 pm.
The bus overturned and exploded into flames after the collision, police officials said.
“It crashed into the dumper truck at top speed. We recovered 12 bodies from the scene (and) 14 injured passengers were rushed to the district hospital,” Guna police official Vijay Kumar Khatri said.
A thirteenth body – believed to be the driver – was recovered after the fire was put out.
BJP’s Jyotiraditya Scindia Responds
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, a former Guna Lok Sabha MP, called the accident “painful”.
गुना आरोन रोड पर यात्री बस में आग लगने की खबर दुखदायी है। घटना की खबर मिलते ही गुना कलेक्टर से दूरभाष पर चर्चा कर शीघ्र राहत एवं बचाव कार्य शुरू करने के निर्देश दिये।
ईश्वर इस हादसे में दिवंगत हुए नागरिकों की आत्मा को शांति और उनके परिजनों को ये आघात सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करे।…
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) December 27, 2023
“Soon after getting information about the incident, I spoke to the collector and SP and directed them to start a relief and rescue operation,” he said.
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