26 killed as bus falls off bridge

Sawai Madhopur: Twenty-six people, including students and teachers, were killed and 34 injured when their bus hit a stationary vehicle and fell off a bridge into a dry river bed in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district in the wee hours on Monday. The mishap occurred along the Sawai Madhopur-Dausa border, 162 km from Jaipur, when the victims were returning home to Jhalawar from an educational trip to Vrindavan. SP, Sawai Madhopur, Vikas Kumar said that 21 people were killed on spot while five succumbed to injuries in a hospital. Condition one of the injured was stated to be serious. The students and teachers belonged to a teacher's training institute in Khanpur in Jhalawar.

UP students forced to clean urinals

ucknow: The principal of a government-run school in Uttar Pradesh forced Class 5 students to clean urinals and mop the floors as punishment for not attending their classes regularly, an official said on Friday, adding that the administration had ordered a probe.

The incident happened Thursday at the Behramgarh primary school in Kandhla town of Muzaffarnagar district, about 350 km from Lucknow.

"We have learnt that the principal along with two others teachers is mainly responsible for the incident," said Ravi Dutt, official in-charge of primary education in Muzaffarnagar.

"The issue is quite serious and reflects the cruel mentality of the school staff. Taking into account the seriousness of the issue, I have ordered an enquiry into the matter," he said.

"Stern action would be taken against the staff who can either be suspended or even terminated for their cruel behaviour," Dutt added.

According to officials, the parents of nearly 12 students on Friday submitted a written complaint against the school principal and teachers.

In their complaint, the parents alleged that the principal and teachers also threatened the students of dire consequences if they told anybody about what had happened.