MUMBAI/JALGAON: The bodies of the Maharashtra pilgrims who tragically lost their lives in a bus accident in Nepal will be brought back to Nashik on Saturday by an Indian Air Force plane, officials confirmed.
The tragedy struck northern Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Friday when at least 27 pilgrims from the region died after their tourist bus veered off the highway and plunged into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi River in central Nepal. The victims hailed from Varangaon, Daryapur, Talvel, and Bhusaval in Jalgaon district, approximately 470 km from Mumbai, according to officials.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached out to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured him of all possible assistance. A state government release late on Friday evening confirmed that an Indian Air Force plane would transport the bodies to Nashik the following day.
The incident occurred in the Anbookhaireni area of Chitawan district, Nepal, when the bus, carrying 43 passengers, including the driver and two helpers, was traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu via Gorakhpur.
According to Shailendra Thapa, Deputy Spokesperson of the Armed Police Force in Kathmandu, 16 people died instantly, while 11 others succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Sixteen injured passengers were airlifted to Kathmandu and are currently receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.
Senior NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, who is from Jalgaon district, visited the families of the victims and survivors after learning of the tragedy. He mentioned that this group of pilgrims had traveled to Ayodhya just four days earlier.
Union Minister Raksha Khadse, who is Eknath Khadse’s daughter-in-law, will travel to Kathmandu, having received permission from the Prime Minister’s Office to oversee the return of the victims and survivors.
The Maharashtra government has identified 16 deceased individuals from Jalgaon as follows: Ramjeet alias Munna, Sarla Rane, Bharti Jawade, Tulshiram Tawade, Sarla Tawade, Sandeep Sarode, Pallavi Sarode, Anup Sarode, Ganesh Bharambe, Nilima Dhande, Pankaj Bhangade, Pari Bharambe, Anita Patil, Vijaya Jhawade, Rohini Jhawade, and Prakash Kodi.
