Expressing shock and grief, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has announced Rs 1 lakh each as compensation for those killed in the private bus fire at Rampura Phul on Saturday.
He has also ordered payment of Rs 25,000 each to those injured in the freak mishap, which occurred when a luxury air-conditioned bus of a private firm caught fire, about 35 km from Bathinda district headquarters on Saturday evening.
The bus of Raiya Transport Company (RTC) was on way from Bathinda to ludhiana when the fire broke out near the railway crossing at Rampura Phul, spreading quickly to engulf the bus and leaving three charred to death and around two dozen injured.
The Chief Minister has also directed the district authorities to initiate a thorough investigation into the incident and fix culpability.
He has also asked the transport department, which is already working on a new transport policy for the state, to take into account all factors to ensure a stringent safety mechanism for vehicles, especially buses, plying on the roads.