Jaipur, Aug 11: A private school bus carrying around 25 children caught fire near Dhauva village in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer on Tuesday, said officials, adding that all were saved and there were no casualties or injuries.

According to the officials, the bus was travelling through the area to pick up students from nearby rural areas when smoke suddenly began billowing from the engine compartment. Within seconds, flames erupted, triggering panic among the children and staff.

The driver immediately pulled the bus over to the roadside and, along with the bus staff, evacuated all 25 children to safety.

Their prompt action helped avert what could have been a major tragedy. The fire spread rapidly, and within minutes the entire bus was engulfed in flames and reduced to a charred wreck.

The bus was reportedly approaching Dhauva village when smoke was first noticed coming from the engine area. As soon as the fire was detected, the driver stopped the vehicle and ensured that every child was safely evacuated. Just minutes after the children were moved away from the bus, the flames engulfed the entire vehicle. Families and local residents breathed a sigh of relief after learning that all the children had escaped unharmed.

Villagers immediately informed the local administration and fire department about the incident. Fire tenders from the Jaisalmer Municipal Council reached the spot, and firefighters began efforts to bring the blaze under control.

After sustained efforts, the fire was extinguished. However, by then, the bus had been completely gutted.

A short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical system is suspected to be the initial cause of the fire.

The exact cause is yet to be confirmed. Police and the relevant departments are investigating the incident. Fortunately, no children or staff members sustained physical injuries.

The incident has once again raised concerns about fire safety equipment, vehicle maintenance and mandatory fitness inspections for school buses.

Parents have called for stricter mechanical and electrical inspections of school vehicles in the district to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Bengaluru : Several Kannada organisations have extended support to the Karnataka bandh called on August 13 over Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the Mekedatu drinking water project, even as differences have emerged among Kannada groups over whether the shutdown is necessary amid good rainfall and rising water levels in the state’s reservoirs.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Praveen Kumar Shetty on Tuesday said the bandh may not be necessary given the recent rainfall and improving water situation. He said his organisation would discuss the matter with its office-bearers before taking a final decision.

“When the bandh was called, there were no rains. After the bandh call was given, rains started. The KRS reservoir is filling up and the Kabini dam is also full. More than the prescribed 3,000 cusecs of water is being released to Tamil Nadu,” Shetty said.

He said the impact of a statewide shutdown on daily wage workers, hotel operators, small shop owners and others who depend on daily earnings should also be considered.

“Every day, labourers, hotel workers and those running small shops depend on their daily income. We cannot simply say that the bandh is not required if people feel it is necessary. We will discuss it with our office-bearers and try to convince Vatal Nagaraj,” Shetty said.

Shetty also said Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had indicated that he would speak to Kannada organisations on the issue and that they were waiting for the meeting.

“We will meet Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj and discuss the matter. The Chief Minister has also said that he will speak to us, and we are waiting for that,” he said.

Meanwhile, several Kannada organisations have backed the August 13 bandh, which has been called to protest Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the Mekedatu project.

Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj had appealed to people across Bengaluru and Karnataka to actively participate in the bandh and take to the streets in support of the proposed project.

Nagaraj said the protest was necessary as Tamil Nadu had opposed the Mekedatu project without, according to him, giving convincing reasons for its objections.

“We are launching a protest for the Mekedatu project. Tamil Nadu has protested against the project, but it has not explained what problems it would face because of it,” Nagaraj said.

He warned that Bengaluru could face a serious drinking water crisis if the Mekedatu project is not implemented.

“If the Mekedatu project is not implemented, there will be no water for Bengaluru. Where will you go then? We are protesting for the people of Bengaluru,” he said.

Nagaraj also appealed to people from all communities and linguistic backgrounds living in Bengaluru to support the bandh, arguing that access to drinking water concerns everyone.

However, there is no unanimity among Kannada organisations over the proposed shutdown.

Mandya-based Kannada organisations have announced their support for the bandh. The Kannada Sene in Mandya has said the bandh will be observed, while the Cauvery Hitarakshana Vedike is expected to hold a meeting before announcing its decision.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president T.R. Narayana Gowda has said his organisation will instead stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Kannada activist Sa. Ra. Govindu has also said he will not support the bandh.

The Ola and Uber Cab Aggregators Owners and Drivers Association has also indicated that it is not keen on supporting the shutdown.

The proposed bandh comes amid a renewed debate over the Mekedatu project, with Karnataka maintaining that the reservoir is crucial for meeting Bengaluru’s drinking water requirements. Tamil Nadu has opposed the project, citing concerns over the Cauvery river and downstream water availability.

With Karnataka receiving good rainfall and reservoirs such as KRS and Kabini witnessing improved inflows, some Kannada organisations have questioned the need for a bandh at this juncture. However, supporters of the shutdown maintain that the protest is necessary to put pressure on Tamil Nadu and the Centre over the Mekedatu project.

The extent of participation in the August 13 bandh is likely to become clearer after the various Kannada organisations conclude their consultations and announce their final decisions.

Guwahati/Agartala, Aug 10: Rail connectivity between southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the rest of the country has remained disrupted for nearly a month following heavy rainfall and soil subsidence that damaged railway tracks along the strategically important Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section in Assam, officials said on Monday.

A senior Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) official said train services on the vital Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section under the Lumding Division have been partially disrupted following incessant moderate to heavy rainfall in and around New Harangajao station in Assam’s mountainous Dima Hasao district, formerly known as North Cachar Hills.

“A huge number of workers, railway personnel and engineering teams are working despite inclement weather, and heavy machinery has been deployed on a war footing to restore the affected tracks and lines at the earliest. However, we are unable to say when normal train services will resume. Regular train operations are expected to resume once the restoration work is completed safely,” the official told media.

Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury told media that the state government officials are in close touch with NFR officials and engineers to restore normal rail services after completion of the ongoing repair and maintenance work near New Harangajao station.

Opposition leaders, including those from the CPI-M and Congress, have accused the Railway Ministry and the Tripura government of failing to make adequate efforts to expedite the restoration of the affected railway tracks, despite the strategic importance of the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section for southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur.

The NFR official said continuous heavy rainfall had triggered soil subsidence beneath two of the three railway tracks near New Harangajao station, affecting a stretch of nearly 300 metres and severely disrupting train operations since last month.

“Restoration work has been progressing under challenging conditions, but continuous moderate to heavy rainfall and inclement weather have significantly hampered repair efforts, delaying the resumption of normal services,” he said.

The official said the settlement of the railway tracks on Line 1 and Line 2 near New Harangajao station had disrupted train operations on the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section.

At present, all train movements through the affected stretch are being operated on Line 3 under strict monitoring and enhanced safety measures to ensure the safe passage of trains.

In view of the ongoing restoration work, the NFR has cancelled the Guwahati-Silchar and Guwahati-Dullabcherra Express services since the disruption occurred. Several other trains connecting southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur have either been rescheduled, regulated, or partially cancelled.

The Kolkata-Agartala Express, which was supposed to commence its journey on August 9, was regulated en route in the Lumding Division.

In the interest of passenger safety, the operation of passenger-carrying trains through the affected section has been suspended during night hours. During the daytime, trains are being allowed to pass through the affected stretch under regulated conditions and continuous monitoring.

The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section is the principal rail link connecting Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and southern Assam with the rest of the country, making it one of the most vital and strategically important railway corridors in the Northeast. Any prolonged disruption on the route has a cascading impact on passenger movement as well as the transportation of foodgrains, fuel, construction materials and other essential commodities to the region.

Every year during the monsoon season, railway infrastructure across parts of the Northeast remains vulnerable to heavy rainfall, floods, landslides and soil erosion, frequently disrupting passenger and goods train services along the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section.

The four-month monsoon period from June to September often causes extensive damage to railway tracks, embankments, bridges and other infrastructure due to landslides, waterlogging and erosion, particularly in the mountainous terrain of Dima Hasao district. As a result, several Northeastern states, especially Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, along with parts of southern Assam, frequently face prolonged disruptions in rail connectivity with the rest of the country, causing considerable hardship to passengers and affecting the timely movement of essential commodities and commercial goods.