In a tragic incident, ten people were killed and several others were injured after a bus travelling from Maharashtra’s Bhandara to Gondia overturned near Khajri village. The police said that a State transport bus met with an accident in Gondia district. They added that the bus was en route from the Bhandara depot to Gondia when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle near Bindravana Tola village on the Gondia-Arjuni road and overturned on the side of the road. 

The officer added that eight people have died and around 30 people are injured. Reports stated that the injured have been shifted to the Gondia District Hospital. Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ordered the Transport Administration to provide immediate assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the victims.

A statement from the CMO said that a State transport Shivshahi bus overturned in a horrific accident. It added that eight bodies have been recovered from the site of the incident, and the death toll is expected to increase. The statement mentioned that information about the situation was taken from the local administration, and instructions have been issued for immediate and proper treatment of the injured.

Additionally, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis offered his condolences to the bereaved family members. Taking to X, he said that it is very unfortunate that a Shivshahi bus met with an unfortunate accident near Sadak Arjun in Gondia district in which some passengers died. He paid heartfelt respects to the deceased, and expressed grief for their families.

He added that the people who were injured in this incident may immediately receive treatment in a private hospital if necessary. He further mentioned that he told the Collector of Gondia to make arrangements to shift them to Nagpur if required. He continued that senior administration officials have reached the spot and are coordinating relief efforts. 

A crucial meeting of the Mahayuti alliance regarding the formation of new Maharashtra government has been called off after caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde unexpectedly left for his village in Satara district. 

Earlier on Thursday, Eknath Shinde along with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi. The meeting focussed on hashing out a power-sharing pact following the BJP-led coalition’s sweeping victory in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections. 

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Friday said that he had good and positive discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J P Nadda on the issue of government formation in the state. Speaking to the media, he said that the decision on the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be taken in a day or two in another meeting of Mahayuti coalition in the state capital.

The Shiv Sena leader further said that he would not be an obstacle in the government formation in the state and abide by the decision taken by PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. However, Eknath Shinde’s sudden departure brought discussions to a halt, further strengthening suspense over who will helm the incoming government and ministerial berth allocations. Reports stated that the Shiv Sena leader is expected to return to Mumbai on Saturday. 

The BJP, which won 132 seats in the assembly election, is yet to chair its legislature party meeting to finalise its chief ministerial candidate, but the top post is widely expected to go to Devendra Fadnavis. The Mahayuti allies Shiv Sena, with 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, with 41, are reportedly focusing on securing plum cabinet berths instead, as their chances of claiming the chief minister’s post appear slim.

Reports said that the new government may adopt a power-sharing arrangement featuring two deputy chief ministers to represent Mahayuti’s three major constituents. Meanwhile, for cabinet berths, the BJP is looking to accommodate around 20 ministers, with the Sena expected to receive a larger share than the NCP.

Venkatesh Global School (VGS) in Rohini has received a bomb threat on Friday, a day after a low-intensity blast was reported in the Prashant Vihar area. The school building has been evacuated and an extensive search is underway. 

The school authorities have also issued a notice for the parents, requesting them to pick their children from the school. They have also suspended the online classes, and closed the school temporarily. The school in its notice sent to parents said that the situation is well under control and that there is no need to panic. 

The bomb threat follows a day after a low intensity blast near a public park in Prashant VIhar, northwest Delhi. A 25-year-old man has been injured in the incident. This blast took place less than a kilometre from the site of a similar blast reported last month. 

Reportedly, the Delhi Police has registered an FIR regarding the explosion in Prashant Vihar. An officer said that a case under Sections 326(g) (mischief with severe consequences to public safety) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and section 3 of the Explosive Substance Act was registered at the Prashant Vihar police station. 

Speaking to a news publication, the officer mentioned that the case was registered against unknown people and efforts are underway to arrest the accused who dumped or planted the explosive material at the site. He stated that more than a dozen teams of the Special Cell, the Crime Branch, and the local police have scanned the footage from the CCTV cameras of the area, but nothing suspicious has been found yet.  

Furthermore, the investigators are also probing the possibility of an accidental explosion that might have occurred due to the unextinguished beedi butt thrown by the driver of a three-wheeler parked nearby. The driver, Chetan Kushwaha sustained minor injuries in the explosion. The area where the explosion occurred remains cordoned off with round-the-clock police deployment. The police had earlier said that white powder was recovered from the blast site.