The bus accident in Madhya Pradesh's Guna that charred 13 to death and injured 18, on Wednesday night, belonged to the brother of a BJP leader and had an expired fitness certificate. Moreover, the insurance certificate of the bus had also lapsed.

The bus was registered in the name of Bhanu Pratap Sikarwar, the brother of former BJP District Vice President Vishwanath Sikarwar.

The injured passengers also included a pregnant woman who sustained injuries on her forehead. As per some of the survivors, the bus driver was under the influence of alcohol.  

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav 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 a collision with a dumper.

गुना बस हादसा मामले की जांच के लिए 4 सदस्यीय समिति का गठन किया गया है। जो गंभीरता से जांच कर घटना की रिपोर्ट सौंपेगी।

मैंने मुख्य सचिव को इस मामले से जुड़े संबंधित विभाग के सभी अधिकारियों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई के निर्देश दिए हैं।

साथ ही परिवहन विभाग को दोषियों के विरुद्ध कठोर… pic.twitter.com/d5JzMnhhiN

— Chief Minister, MP (@CMMadhyaPradesh)

It is a matter of probing 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 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 VD 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.

BJP MP from the state Jyotiraditya Scindia said, "The news of a fire in a passenger bus on Guna-Aaron Road is saddening. As soon as the news of the incident was received, I had a telephonic conversation with the Guna Collector and instructed him to immediately start with the relief and rescue operations."

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)

 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.

(with PTI inputs)