At least 27 pilgrims from Maha’s Jalgaon die as UP bus plunges into river in central Nepal

Lucknow: A tragic accident occurred in Nepal on Friday when a bus from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, carrying pilgrims from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district plunged into the Marsyangdi River, killing at least 27 passengers and injuring 16 others.

The accident took place around 11:30 am near Aina Pahada in the Tanahun district, about 500 feet below the highway. The bus was en route from Pokhara to Kathmandu.

The bus, belonging to Kesarwani Tour and Travels Agency of Gorakhpur, was carrying 43 passengers,

The victims, from Varangaon, Daryapur, Talvel and Bhusaval in Jalgaon district, 470 km from Mumbai, were on a trip to Nepal.

While 16 people died on the spot, 11 succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.

Relief Commissioner Uttar Pradesh Naveen G S said that as per information by the Indian Embassy, three other persons are missing. “Some of the seriously injured persons have been airlifted to Kathmandu hospital,” he told the reporter.

The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, while search and rescue operations are ongoing, led by the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF), and the Nepal Army.

A Mi-17 helicopter from the Nepal Army, carrying a medical team, has also been dispatched from Kathmandu to assist in the rescue efforts.

Gorakhpur District Magistrate Krishna Karunesh confirmed that the bus involved in the accident was registered under the number UP-53 FT 7623. The bus owner, Vishnu Kesarwani, stated that three buses from his agency were part of the tour group, which had arrived in Nepal on August 20 for a 10-day tour. The other two buses are currently stationed in Mugling, Nepal, with efforts underway to establish contact with them.

The driver of the ill-fated bus, identified as Mustafa, has not yet been located, and both his Indian and Nepali contact numbers are currently switched off. The bus was insured in both Nepal and India, according to Kesarwani.

Tanahun district is a known landslide-prone area in Nepal, with 48 out of its 85 wards falling in high-risk zones.

In June 2024, Chief District Officer Janardan Gautam issued a traffic alert, advising travellers to exercise caution during the monsoon season due to the heightened risk of landslides, floods, lightning, and storms.

The Uttar Pradesh government has dispatched the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Maharajganj to the site to assist with the situation.

Further details about the incident are awaited as rescue operations continue.

Officials, meanwhile, reported that the Maharashtra government has reached out to the Central government, seeking assistance in arranging a special Indian Air Force flight.

This flight would be used to transport both the injured individuals and the remains of those who lost their lives back to the state.

Lahu Mali, the director of Disaster Management for Maharashtra, has penned a letter to the Union government. In this correspondence, Mali explains that while the deceased and injured are scheduled to be moved to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on the evening of August 24, it’s not feasible to use commercial airlines for their return journey to Maharashtra. Hence, the state is requesting the deployment of an IAF aircraft for this purpose.

The letter also indicates that the Maharashtra government is willing to cover the expenses associated with the flight from Gorakhpur to Nashik.