Chennai, July 13: Five people were killed and 42 others, including several children, were injured after a private omni bus collided head-on with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus near Kottampatti in Madurai district during the early hours of Monday, police said.

The accident occurred on the four-lane national highway near Vandinagar, close to Kottampatti, when the private omni bus, which was travelling from Chennai to Marthandam, allegedly went out of control and crossed the central median into the opposite carriageway. It then rammed into an oncoming TNSTC bus with great force, causing extensive damage to both vehicles.

The impact of the collision was severe. The private bus veered off the highway after the crash and smashed into a roadside passenger shelter. Its front portion was completely crushed, trapping several passengers inside.

The TNSTC bus overturned due to the force of the impact, leaving passengers stranded and injured.

Police, fire and rescue personnel, along with local residents, rushed to the accident site and launched an intensive rescue operation.

Rescue teams used specialised equipment to extricate passengers trapped inside the mangled buses before shifting the injured to waiting ambulances.

Officials said five people — four men and one woman — died on the spot due to the severity of their injuries.

Their identities are yet to be officially confirmed.

Forty-two others, including children, sustained injuries of varying degrees and were admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, where they are undergoing treatment. Hospital authorities said some of the injured remain in critical condition and are under close medical observation.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver of the private omni bus may have lost control of the vehicle moments before the collision. However, police said the exact cause of the accident would be established only after a detailed investigation, including an examination of the vehicles and statements from survivors and witnesses.

The accident triggered panic among motorists and residents in the area, while traffic on the busy highway was disrupted for several hours.

Police diverted vehicles through alternate routes as cranes were deployed to remove the damaged buses and clear the roadway.

The Kottampatti police have registered a case and launched a comprehensive investigation into the fatal accident. Authorities are also examining whether speeding, driver fatigue or mechanical failure contributed to the tragedy.

Ranchi, July 13: A horrifying case has come to light from Jharkhand’s Gumla district, where officials on Monday said a three-year-old girl was raped, following which a village panchayat attempted to stifle the case by imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the accused instead of reporting the crime to police.

The incident took place in Palma village of the Gumla district.

According to the officials, the accused, identified as Sunil Lohra, was directed by the panchayat to pay Rs 20,000 — which was later to be used by those present to organise a feast involving meat and liquor — while the remaining Rs 80,000 was ordered to be paid within a week.

However, the police were tipped off, and subsequently the officials intervened before the matter could be buried. An FIR was registered, and the accused was arrested.

The police received a tip-off that the village panchayat was trying to settle the rape of the minor through a small fine to prevent the case from reaching the authorities, according to the investigators.

The officials said that due to pressure from villagers, the family of the victim did not report the matter to the police. However, after receiving information, the police reached the village and recorded the victim’s mother’s statement. Subsequently, an FIR was registered, and the accused was arrested.

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Saturday when Lohra visited the victim’s home. According to the officials, the victim’s mother was at home with her when the accused offered to look after the child so that she could finish her household chores.

According to the police, accused Lohra then took the child into a room and sexually assaulted her. When the mother heard the child crying, she rushed inside the room to find her bleeding.

However, the matter was taken to the panchayat instead of reporting the crime to the police.

The victim’s family alleged that some of the members of the panchayat took the child to a private doctor and then convened a public meeting on Sunday, when it was decided to impose a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the accused to settle the issue inside the village. Rs 20,000 was paid by the accused on the spot.

According to the officials, the feast, funded with the Rs 20,000 given by the accused, was underway when police arrived.

Further proceedings are underway, and details are awaited.

New Delhi, July 12: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead a high-level Indian business delegation on a five-day visit to Spain, Belgium and Finland from July 13 to 17, as India seeks to deepen its economic engagement with Europe through enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, technology, innovation and sustainability, it was announced on Sunday.

The delegation will include leading Indian companies from sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital technologies, gems and jewellery, food processing, healthcare and design. The visit is aimed at expanding business-to-business partnerships and exploring new opportunities for collaboration with European industries, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said.

The visit will begin in Spain on July 13, where Goyal will participate in a business roundtable jointly organised by the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, CEOE and ICEX Spain Trade & Investment. The discussions are expected to focus on sectors including automotive, renewable energy, railways, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, food processing and tourism.

The meeting will bring together industry leaders from both countries at a time when India and Spain are celebrating the Spain-India Dual Year 2026, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations. Several Spanish companies, including Iberdrola, Acciona, CAF, Talgo, Gestamp and Indra, have already established a strong presence in India, while Indian technology and engineering firms such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and Larsen & Toubro are expanding their operations in Spain to support digital transformation and Industry 4.0 initiatives.

In Belgium, where the delegation will travel on July 14 and 15, the minister will visit the Port of Antwerp to study Europe’s leading logistics hub and gain insights into multimodal connectivity, green logistics and resilient supply chains.

During the Belgium visit, Goyal will hold CEO-level meetings with senior executives of Thales Group and Silox Group.

The minister will also participate in the India-EU Business Roundtable and the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Plenary, where discussions will cover foreign direct investment, trade facilitation, sustainable technologies and resilient supply chains.

The final leg of the tour will take the delegation to Finland on July 16 and 17. Goyal will participate in the India-Finland Business Roundtable, engaging with Finnish companies across digitalisation, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and the circular economy.