Nepal Bus Accident: Death Toll Reaches 27, Air Force Plane To Bring Bodies Of Pilgrims Back To Nashik

A tourist bus carrying 43 Indian pilgrims from Maharashtra had an accident in Nepal, killing 27 pilgrims. The Indian Air Force will bring the bodies of the deceased back to Nashik.

Nepal Bus Accident: Bodies of pilgrims from Maharashtra, who were killed in a road accident in Nepal, will be brought back to Nashik via a special plane of the Indian Air Force. Tragedy struck north Maharashtra's Jalgaon district on Friday as at least 27 pilgrims from the region died after the tourist bus they were travelling in veered off the highway and fell into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi river in central Nepal.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde consoled the deaths of 27 people. He also spoke to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on bringing back the bodies. The Home Minister responded quickly to the CM's request. Accordingly, the bodies will be brought back to Nashik on Saturday in an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane, the Chief Minister's office, in a statement.

Home Minister Amit Shah has also assured to provide all the necessary assistance to Maharashtra and said that a special officer has been appointed for the coordination, Chief Minister Shinde said.

Shinde, who oversees the disaster relief and rehabilitation department, also remained in constant communication with the department officials and the central authorities to get information about the relief work. As per the Chief Minister, the bodies will be brought from Nepal to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and from there to Nashik in an Air Force aircraft. After the flight reached Nashik on Saturday, the bodies will then be handed over to their families.

According to officials, the bodies have been kept at Anbookhaireni Village Council and the identification of bodies is underway. The bus was en route to Kathmandu from Pokhara when it met with the accident.

Calling the bus accident tragic, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli condoled the deaths in a post on X. "Deeply saddened by the tragic bus accident in Abu Khaireni, Tanahun, which claimed the lives of 27 Indian citizens travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu. My heartfelt tributes to the victims and condolences to their families, including Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji," Oli said.

The Indian embassy in Nepal Emergency shared relief numbers on Friday. "India in Nepal remains available 24x7 at the following emergency relief numbers accessible on WhatsApp:+977-9851107021 +977-9851316807 +977-9749833292," it said in a post on X.

Nepal Accident

The incident occurred in the Anbookhaireni area in the Chitawan district of Nepal when the bus from Gorakhpur carrying 43 passengers, including the driver and two helpers, was heading towards Kathmandu from Pokhara. While 16 people died on the spot, 11 succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment, Deputy Spokesperson of Armed Police Force (APF) Shailendra Thapa told PTI in Kathmandu. 

Sixteen people who sustained injuries have been airlifted to Kathmandu and admitted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, he said.

The passengers were part of a group of 104 Indian pilgrims who arrived in Nepal from Maharashtra in three buses two days ago for a 10-day tour of the Himalayan nation, MyRepublica news portal reported.

Senior NCP (SP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse said this group of pilgrims had travelled to Ayodhya four days ago. Khadse, who hails from Jalgaon district, told PTI that he visited the families of the victims and survivors after learning about the tragedy.

Union minister Raksha Khadse, his daughter-in-law, will travel to Kathmandu as she had received permission from the PMO to oversee the return of the victims and survivors, he added.

Meanwhile, 51 passengers from Maharashtra, who survived the accident, are being safely brought from Nepal to India in a travel bus. All the passengers are being brought to Gorakhpur under the supervision of police.