27 pilgrims from Maharashtra's Jalgaon die as bus plunges into river in central Nepal

MUMBAI: Tragedy struck north Maharashtra's Jalgaon district on Friday as at least 27 pilgrims from the region died after the tourist bus they were traveling in veered off the highway and fell into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi river in central Nepal.

The Maharashtra government has written to the Centre, requesting that a special flight of the Indian Air Force be arranged to bring back the injured persons as well as the mortal remains of the deceased, officials said here.

The victims were from Varangaon, Daryapur, Talvel and Bhusaval in Jalgaon district, 470 km from Mumbai, said an official release here.

In a letter to the Union government, Lahu Mali, director, Disaster Management, Maharashtra, said the bodies and injured persons would be taken to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh on August 24 evening, but as it is not possible to transport them back to Maharashtra by a commercial airliner, an IAF plane be arranged.

The state government will bear the expenses of the flight from Gorakhpur to Nashik, the letter said.

The incident occurred at Anbookhaireni area in 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.

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condoled the deaths in a message on X.

"The (Jalgaon) district collector is in touch with the Maharajganj collector in Uttar Pradesh to bring back the victims and survivors," he wrote.

Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil said the state government was in touch with the relief commissioner of Uttar Pradesh and the Indian embassy in Kathmandu.

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.

The Maharashtra government identified 16 persons from Jalgaon as "reported deceased".

Ramjeet alias Munna, Sarla Rane (42), Bharti Jawade (62), Tulshiram Tawade (62), Sarla Tawade (62), Sandeep Sarode (45), Pallavi Sarode (43), Anup Sarode (22), Ganesh Bharambe (40), Nilima Dhande (57), Pankaj Bhangade (45), Pari Bharambe (8 years) , Anita Patil, Vijaya Jhawade (50), Rohini Jhawade (51) and Prakash Kodi reportedly died in the accident, it said.