13 killed as bus collides with truck in central India

Bus catches fire shortly after colliding with dumper truck in Madhya Pradesh

At least 13 people were killed after a bus caught fire following a head-on collision with a dumper truck in central India.

Another 16 people suffered severe burn injuries and fractures and were rushed to a hospital for treatment in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday night.

The truck driver died from the impact of the collision, said police officer Anoop Bhargav.

The bus carrying around 30 passengers was on its way to Aaron town, while the dumper truck was heading towards Guna in the opposite direction. The crash took place around 9pm which set the bus on fire, state authorities said.

The victims were charred to death.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav ordered a probe into the incident and announced an ex gratia of Rs400,000 (£3,750) each to the kin of the deceased and Rs50,000 (£468) each for the injured.

He is scheduled to visit to visit the injured at the district hospital in Guna on Thursday.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, federal aviation minister and an MP from the state, offered condolences and wished "speedy recovery of the citizens injured in the accident.

"As soon as the news of the incident was received, Guna collector was discussed over telephone and instructions were given to start relief and rescue operations immediately," he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

One person was killed and over two dozen people suffered injuries earlier on Wednesday as dense fog on the highway led to multiple vehicle collisions in north India.

Last month, a passenger bus slid off a Himalayan highway killing at least 37 people and injuring 18 others after rolling down a steep slope onto another road in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Deadly road accidents are common in India, with some of the highest recorded road death rates in the world, often due to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.

More than 110,000 people are killed every year in road accidents across India, according to police.