A tragic incident occurred in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district late Thursday night when a sleeper bus caught fire, resulting in the death of a four-year-old child. The bus was parked at a hotel along the Agra–Mumbai National Highway in the Tarana area when the fire broke out, according to police officials. More than 50 passengers were on board at the time.
Details of the Incident
The intercity bus was traveling from Indore to Gwalior and had stopped at a hotel, approximately 20 kilometers from Shajapur town, for refreshments. Suddenly, smoke began rising from the bonnet, and within minutes, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Tarana SHO RNS Bhaduria stated that the incident occurred about 15 kilometers from the police station. The bus driver had kept the engine running, and the fire was most likely caused by a spark near the engine.
Panic and Escape
Panic erupted as passengers broke windows to escape the burning bus. However, four-year-old Anya Jain became trapped under a seat during the chaos and could not get out. His body was recovered later after firefighters brought the fire under control. The child's father, Abhishek Jain, who was traveling with his wife and two children to Shivpuri, expressed his grief and anger. He stated that the bus had neither an emergency exit nor a fire extinguisher. “My child burnt to death. No other child should die like this. My future has been burnt,” he said. He also alleged that the first fire engine to arrive had no water.
Response and Investigation
Firefighters from Maksi, Tarana, and Shajapur rushed to the spot and eventually doused the flames. Police reported that the bus driver and cleaner fled after the incident. The child's body was sent for post-mortem, and a case has been registered. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Bus Documentation
Divisional transport officer Santosh Malviya told TOI that all documents related to the bus were in order. The vehicle was registered in Gwalior in 2024. “The Gwalior RTO will take further action on the bus,” he added. Meanwhile, the postmortem examination of the boy was performed, and the body was handed over to the family.
