Indian Air Force Plane to bring back Bodies of Maharashtra Pilgrims Killed in Nepal Bus Accident
- In Reports
- 07:16 PM, Aug 24, 2024
- Myind Staff
An Indian Air Force plane will bring the bodies of Maharashtra pilgrims, who were killed in a bus accident in Nepal, to Nashik on 24th August, officials have confirmed.
The tragic accident occurred on Friday, claiming the lives of at least 27 pilgrims from north Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district. The tourist bus they were traveling in veered off the highway and plunged into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi River in central Nepal. The victims were from Varangaon, Daryapur, Talvel, and Bhusaval areas of Jalgaon, located about 470 km from Mumbai.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured him of all possible assistance from the central government. A state government release on Friday evening confirmed that the Indian Air Force plane would transport the bodies to Nashik.
The accident happened in the Anbookhaireni area of Nepal’s Chitawan district. The bus, carrying 43 passengers, including the driver and two helpers, was traveling from Gorakhpur to Kathmandu via Pokhara when it veered off the road. According to Shailendra Thapa, Deputy Spokesperson of the Armed Police Force in Nepal, 16 people died on the spot, while 11 others succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
Sixteen injured passengers have been airlifted to Kathmandu and are receiving treatment at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. The pilgrims were part of a group of 104 Indians from Maharashtra, who had arrived in Nepal two days ago for a 10-day tour.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his condolences over the deaths in a message on X. State Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil stated that the Maharashtra government is in contact with Uttar Pradesh's relief commissioner and the Indian embassy in Kathmandu to manage the situation.
Senior NCP (SP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, who is from Jalgaon, visited the families of the victims and survivors. Khadse mentioned that this group of pilgrims had travelled to Ayodhya just four days prior to the incident. Union Minister Raksha Khadse, his daughter-in-law, will travel to Kathmandu to oversee the return of the victims and survivors, following permission from the Prime Minister's Office.
Offering his condolences, CM Shinde posted on social media platform X, saying, "The news of the tragic accident involving pilgrims from India, including from Maharashtra's Jalgaon, is deeply saddening. Some have lost their lives, and others are seriously injured. The state government, along with the Nepal Embassy and the Uttar Pradesh government, is making sure the injured get prompt medical care. We are also working to bring the bodies of the deceased back to Maharashtra. The state government stands with the victims and their families during this difficult time."
The Maharashtra government has identified 16 persons from Jalgaon as "reported deceased," and efforts are ongoing to provide support to the affected families.
Both state and central governments are making every effort to ensure that the deceased are returned to their families as quickly and respectfully as possible.
Image source: PTI
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