Guna bus accident: CM Yadav orders probe, suspends two officials for negligence

Bhopal/Guna: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday ordered the suspension of a transport official and the chief medical officer of Guna for alleged negligence in connection with the accident involving a bus which caught fire after colliding with a dumper.

As many as 13 people were charred to death and 14 others were injured in the accident which took place in Guna district on Wednesday night.

It is a matter of probe how such a fire took place, CM Yadav told PTI adding that they will ensure such an accident does not reoccur.

The private bus caught fire after colliding with the dumper on Guna-Aaron Road at around 9 pm on Wednesday, according to officials.

The chief minister has announced an assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.

"The Guna bus accident is horrific. I and my government are extremely grieved by the incident. I have already said that the incident should be probed," CM Yadav said.

"We will take steps to ensure that such an accident should not take place again. Though it is a matter of investigation how such a fire took place, we will ensure that such an accident does not take place again," he said.

After meeting the injured persons at a hospital in Guna, Yadav ordered the suspension of Guna's Regional Transport Officer Ravi Barelia and Chief Medical Officer V D Katrolia on charges of negligence in the matter, an official said.

Following directives of the chief minister, the district collector has formed a four-member committee, headed by additional district magistrate Mukesh Kumar Sharma, to conduct a probe into the incident, the official said.

The panel was directed to submit its report within three days on various issues especially whether the two vehicles involved in the accident had all the legal permissions and how the bus caught fire, he said.

After the accident, the bus turned into a fireball, sub-divisional magistrate Dinesh Sanvle said, adding that 13 people were charred to death.

The injured persons were taken to a hospital for treatment. The ill-fated bus was on its way to Aaron while the dumper was headed towards Guna when the accident occurred, police said.

Superintendent of Police Vijay Khatri said there were around 30 passengers in the bus at the time of the incident and four of them somehow managed to get out of the vehicle and went home.