Mumbai: A massive fire erupted in a BEST bus on LBS Road, in Ghatkopar on Monday. The incident occurred around 1:30 pm near the Ghandhi Nagar bridge on LBS Road. No injuries have been reported and the fire was doused at 2.10 pm, authorities informed.

Witnesses captured dramatic footage showing thick smoke and flames engulfing the vehicle, prompting an immediate response from the fire brigade. According to officials, the fire was reported at 1:24 pm to Traffic Police and was extinguished by approximately 2:10 pm.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, as several vehicles were passing through the area at the time of the incident. The Traffic Police have informed that vehicular movement at LBS Road is moving slow.

The BEST bus was Route 303 operated between Bandra station (East) to Mulund station (West). The bus went for short trip to Gandhi Nagar from Bandra station (East). The bus pertains to Dharavi depot and was operated by Matershwari.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sep 30: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday appealed to the people, including the poor and needy, to converge in a show of unity at the Dussehra rally to be held at Narayangad in Maharashtra’s Beed district.

Dussehra will be celebrated on October 12 this year.

Jarange also said he will speak at the rally, which would be attended by the Maratha community people and farmers, but there will no politics at the event. He was speaking to reporters at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar where he is currently undergoing treatment after ending his fast over the demand for OBC quota for the Maratha community.

Jarange sat on a hunger strike on September 17, his sixth in a year, to demand reservation to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He called it off on September 25, citing pleas from members of the Maratha community to withdraw his protest.

In February this year, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category. Jarange, however, stuck to his demand for a quota for the community under the OBC head.

“A Dussehra rally will take place in Narayangad where I will go as a devotee and remain present for the programme. I will seek blessings of my community’s people who come to Narayangad. Those from Beed and Marathwada and those staying out of station for work purpose should come to Narayangad on Dussehra,” Jarange said.

“It’s time to show our unity. People from all over the state should come to Narayangad,” he added. Jarange said he will speak at the rally, but there would not be anything political at the event.

“It is a chance to show our unity. There will be no connection to caste and politics there (at the rally). There has to be a right time to show our unity. It is the right time for the poor and needy people to show their unity. So, the Maratha community people, farmers will come to Narayangad,” he said.

Pune: In a shocking incident in Baramati on Monday, a grade 12th student was brutally murdered by his classmate on the campus of Tuljaram Chaturchand College. Both the victim and accused were minor and the police have arrested the suspect, reports say.

The incident took place on Monday morning around 11.30 am after a heated argument between the two classmates. In the rage of anger one of them attacked another by a sharp weapon (koyta) after which the victim was taken to a nearby hospital. However, he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors. Police soon reached the spot and arrested the attackers, reports say, adding that one more classmate was involved in the attack.

The incident has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra. MP from Baramati and NCP (SP) Supriya Sule slammed the government for the crippling law and order in the state amid rising crimes. “A youth was killed in a broad daylight in the Baramati college is shocking and unfortunate. The law order is deteriorating day by day and criminals have are left with no fear,” Sule posted on X.

She added that, the incidents of people roaming around with a sword, koyta or pistols have increased. The Gundaraj in Maharashtra has because of failure of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, taking our state years back,” the NCP (SP) added.

Further investigation in case is underway.