Jaipur, Dec 23: Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje visited SMS Hospital in Jaipur on Monday to check on the condition of those injured in the Jaipur LPG tanker blast.

In line with medical protocols and to avoid the risk of infection to the patients, she refrained from entering the ICU of the Burn Unit. Instead, she met the families of the injured in the office of Superintendent Sushil Bhati.

Lok Sabha member from Jaipur Manju Sharma accompanied her during the visit.

Raje expressed her empathy with the kin of the injured victims and offered all assistance.

After visiting the families, she said and also posted on X, “I wish to extend my condolences to the families who have lost their members. It was a horrible accident. The doctors are taking care of everyone…”

She said this was a humanitarian issue and not a political matter.

At least 12 people were burnt alive in a catastrophic chain of events that unfolded on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway early on December 20 when a truck crashed into an LPG Tanker taking a U-turn, triggering a fireball that engulfed close to 34 vehicles. Several people were injured with some battling for their lives with severe burn injuries.

“The Jaipur-bound tanker was coming from Ajmer and tried to take a U-turn from the highway to move towards the Agra Road,” said Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph. “While taking the turn, an Ajmer-bound truck coming from Jaipur suddenly appeared and hit it from behind. The collision caused a gas leak and it immediately caught fire. The rest of the mishap took only 10 to 15 minutes.” Over 30 people are in SMS hospital getting treatment for burn injuries. Out of these, many are on ventilators and have sustained over 60 per cent burn injuries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the accident. The Rajasthan government also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those injured.

Mumbai, Dec 23: Upset over his exclusion from the cabinet, a veteran NCP leader and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed the growing resentment in the OBCs especially after he was denied a ministerial berth.

Bhujbal had earlier created a stir by making a statement — “Jaha Nahi Chaina, Vahan Nahi Rehna (There is no point in staying where there is no comfort)”. On Monday, he said, “I have told Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis everything that has been happening after December 15. He has asked me for 8 to 10 days. The Chief Minister has said he is aware that the OBC community is upset and that he would definitely think about addressing their resentment and dissatisfaction.”

“Sameer Bhujbal (his nephew) and I both met the Chief Minister. We discussed many issues, including social and political issues with him. We discussed everything that happened and what was going on. The CM told me that he saw and heard many things in the media. He further stated that the OBC community has a big role in the victory of the Mahayuti in the recently held Assembly election and we should thank everyone for that. Keeping this in mind, he said I am also concerned that the OBCs will not be harmed under any circumstances,” said Bhujbal.

“Currently, there are holidays due to festivals, there is a different atmosphere in the state. Therefore, the CM has assured me to discuss later and find a way out,” said Bhujbal who has repeatedly questioned the decision by Ajit Pawar and Tatkare to deny him a ministerial berth without taking him into confidence.

“The CM told me to give him 8 to 10 days and after that, we will meet again. He also asked me to tell the OBC leaders to discuss the pros and cons of the present situation and meet again,” said Bhujbal. He reiterated that “I have told the Chief Minister everything. He has understood the entire issue saying that OBCs are upset and he is also worried about it.”

To a question whether he would leave the NCP and join the BJP, he said, “I have said everything I wanted to say to the chief minister. I will not say anything more on this.”

Meanwhile, in his reaction after Bhujbal’s exclusion from the cabinet and his latest meeting with CM Fadnavis, NCP chief and Dy CM Ajit Pawar in Pune, said, “It is our internal issue, we will address it internally.”

Bhujbal meeting the CM, the first after he was dropped from the cabinet expansion held on December 15, is important especially as the OBC organisations, including Samata Parishad, have started organising protests and meetings across the state against his exclusion. The meeting is also to send a strong signal to NCP president and Dy CM Ajit Pawar that he may be down but certainly out. After his exclusion from the cabinet, Bhujbal has not met Ajit Pawar neither the latter nor the state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare had interacted with him in person or through phone.

Bhujbal has already denied the party’s offer to go to Rajya Sabha after resigning from the Assembly citing that it would be a betrayal of the Yevala constituency. He also claimed that the party neglected his request to field him in the Lok Sabha elections from Nashik constituency and for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Further, Bhujbal said he decided to contest the Assembly election after the party leadership told him that he was needed in the state. Bhujbal, who took on the pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange, was expecting his induction into the cabinet.

Hyderabad, Dec 23: Telangana’s Minister for Roads and Buildings and Cinematography Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Monday condemned the attack on the house of Tollywood actor Allu Arjun.

The minister took to ‘X’ to condemn the attack on Allu Arjun’s house in Hyderabad by a group of persons on Sunday over the Sandhya Theatre stampede issue.

“I strongly condemn the attack on the house of film actor Allu Arjun. There is no room for physical attacks in a democracy. No one should act in a way that disrupts peace and order. The matter related to the Sandhya Theatre incident is in court. The law will take its course,” the Minister posted.

Earlier, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also condemned the attack on the actor’s house. He directed the Director General of Police and City Police Commissioner to take strict action to maintain law and order. He made it clear that no laxity would be tolerated in this regard.

The Chief Minister also asked senior officials to prevent police personnel who are not connected with the investigations into the Sandhya Theatre incident from speaking on the issue.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Vishnu Murthy, was suspended recently following allegations of corruption, Sunday addressed a press conference about the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre. He accused Allu Arjun of lacking a basic understanding of the law and also targeted the film industry for criticizing the police department.

Taking serious note of the suspended police official’s action, top officials initiated disciplinary action against him.

Akshansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central Zone, said in a statement that Vishnu Murthy conducted the press meeting without obtaining prior permission from higher authorities or intimating any senior officer. “This action is a clear violation of disciplinary norms. We are forwarding a report against Sri Vishnu Murthy to the Director General of Police (DGP) for initiating disciplinary action. The DGP’s office will investigate this matter and take necessary action,” he said.

“We reiterate that such actions will not be tolerated, and necessary disciplinary measures will be taken against those who violate the conduct rules,” the DCP said.

Vishnu Murthy was previously working as the DSP Task Force at Nizamabad, and later attached to the DGP Office on allegations and subsequently suspended in October 2024.