Three passengers, including a 13-year-old girl, were killed and four others injured this morning when the mini-bus carrying them caught fire after hitting a stationary truck in Madhya Pradesh's Guna district, the police said.
The incident took place on National Highway 46 in Barkheda area.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan condoled the deaths.
The injured passengers, including a 12-year-old boy, were admitted to the district hospital, Sub Divisional Officer of Police Munish Rajoria said.
The bus had 28 passengers who were heading to Mathura on pilgrimage from Indore, he said.
"The bus rammed into the rear of a container truck parked by the roadside between 5 am and 6 am at Barkheda in Chachoda tehsil, around 40 km from the Guna district headquarters," Mr Rajoria said.
The collision caused an explosion and led to a fire which engulfed the mini-bus, the police official said.
People in the vicinity pulled out most of the passengers from the burning vehicle in time.
But Durga, 13, and Madho, 20, both from Indore, and Rohit, from Khargone district, got trapped inside and died, he said, adding that further probe was underway.
Chief Minister Chouhan expressed deep condolences over the deaths and directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured persons, said a government official.
Guna collector Frank Noble A provided immediate financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to the families of those who died.
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