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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Children in Karnataka’s Shivamogga were forced to clean and scrub school toilets in a video that has been widely circulated online and drawn angry protests from parents. Shivamogga is state Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa’s home district and the Block Education Officer has filed a report.

The shocking incident took place sometime last week but the video surfaced just now. The headmistress told the BDA students were only asked to pour water and not actually clean the toilets.

This is the third such incident in the southern state this month alone.

Last week students of a government school in state capital Bengaluru were also found cleaning toilets. Furious parents and activists staged protests outside the school in the city’s Andrahalli area.

In the Andrahalli case, Mr Bangarappa condemned the “deplorable” incident. The minister, who was involved in a car crash late last night but is safe, has not yet responded to the incident in his district.

“… there is no doubt we will take the strictest action as per law. Further, I will ensure such incidents don’t repeat… and will ensure all necessary action is taken by our department,” he had said.

After the Bengaluru shocker, the Education Department suspended the school headmaster, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar warned those who would force children to perform such tasks.

“NSS and Seva Dal camps use to give train kids in cleaning garden or planting saplings but we didn’t give permission for children to clean the toilets,” the senior Congress leader said.

Before the Bengaluru and Shivamogga incidents, the principal and a teacher of a residential school in Kolar district were arrested, and four contractual staff sacked, after another horrific video – of Dalit students cleaning a septic tank. In another video, students were seen kneeling carrying heavy bags.

READ | Dalit Students Made To Clean Septic Tank In Karnataka, Principal Arrested

Those visuals were from the Morarji Desai Residential School that has 243 students, four of whom were made to climb down into the tank and clean it with their hands as a punishment.

The visuals sparked outrage and led to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intervening.

The creators of the comedy crime thriller Guns & Gulaabs featuring Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan, Adarsh Gourav, and Gulshan Devaiah, announced the second season of the thrilling series.

Creators Raj and DK are set to transport viewers to the chaotic world of Gulaabganj in the upcoming season of Guns & Gulaabs. The show pays homage to ‘90s Hindi cinema, creating pop culture moments with its quirky characters and memorable dialogues.

On Thursday, the streaming platform officially announced the second season of Guns & Gulaabs through social media. They released a video featuring actors reprising their roles in the series, including Rajkummar Rao as Paana Tipu, Gulshan Devaiash as Chaar Cut Atmaram, Dulquer as Arjun Varma, and others.

Check out the video here:

While the release date has not been revealed, reports are indicating that filming is scheduled to begin in 2024.