MUMBAI, June 9 -- A mini-bus carrying school teachers from Chiplun to Ratnagiri for an official training programme was struck by a CNG tanker early on Sunday morning and plunged into a 20-foot gorge near Nivali village on the busy Mumbai-Goa highway. At least 26 teachers were injured, with many suffering serious wounds. The accident has sparked widespread anger in the education community and raised questions about the rigid training policies that force teachers to travel long distances. The accident occurred around 8am when the vehicle was nearing the village. A speeding CNG tanker rammed into it from behind, causing the driver to lose control. The bus veered off the road and fell into a deep ravine. Soon after the crash, panic gripped the area as gas began leaking from the overturned tanker. A nearby cattle shed caught fire, and two animals were injured. A parked rickshaw was reduced to ashes, and flames also damaged the roof of a nearby house. The residents escaped the blaze after hearing the loud explosion. Local villagers, led by teacher Santosh Ravana, rushed to the site to help the injured. Emergency services, including police, fire brigade, and ambulances, responded promptly and transported the injured to Ratnagiri Civil Hospital. The hospital referred two of the patients to a multispecialty hospital due to their severe injuries. The bus was reportedly ferrying teachers to a senior pay grade and selection grade training session, which is compulsory training after 12 and 24 years of service. The training was organised by the Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The programme has come under fire for requiring full-day, in-person attendance at distant district headquarters like Ratnagiri, a 100-kilometre journey from Chiplun. "We requested the government not to conduct the training so far away, given the current weather conditions," said Deepak Shinde, a local representative of the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Committee (MSPTC). "It could have been organised locally by clubbing two or three talukas together but the administration insisted on holding it in Ratnagiri." While Shinde maintained that the accident was the result of holding the training far away, MSPTC chairperson Vijay Kombe said they were not trying to connect the two. "But if this training was conducted locally it would have been easier for the teachers," he said. Rahul Rekhawar, director of the SCERT, told HT that he personally visited Ratnagiri and met the injured teachers. "According to the report, the accident occurred due to a brake failure in the tanker," he said. "The teachers were using the same bus and driver since June 3, and there was no issue till the accident. They were also on schedule that day, so overspeeding was not a factor." When asked about the criticism of the strict training rules, Rekhawar said, "Most teachers are now familiar with the training schedule. We are organising batches based on the number of teachers, which is standard procedure and hasn't changed this year." He also clarified that another training session would be arranged soon for the injured teachers as well as those who were unable to attend or were barred from the training due to arriving late....