Kathmandu: The autopsy of 27 Indian pilgrims who died in a devastating bus accident in Nepal is currently being conducted at Bharatpur Hospital in the Bagmati province. This process is a key step before the bodies are transported back to Maharashtra.

The tragic accident occurred on Friday when the bus, carrying pilgrims from Maharashtra on a 10-day tour, veered off the highway and plunged into a river in central Nepal. In addition to the 27 fatalities, 16 others were injured in the crash.

Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, a spokesperson for the Home Ministry, confirmed that the autopsies are being carried out at Bharatpur Hospital in Chitwan district. Once completed, the bodies will be returned to their families.

An Indian Air Force aircraft is scheduled to transport the bodies to Nashik later today, according to a statement from the Maharashtra state government. An Indian plane arrived in Bharatpur this morning for this purpose.

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse is in Kathmandu to manage the repatriation of the victims and care for the survivors. She, along with Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, visited the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu where the injured are receiving treatment.

Khadse expressed gratitude to the Nepalese authorities and the Indian embassy in Nepal for their swift response and support. She also detailed the condition of the injured, noting that 10 of them are women and six are men. One passenger, Rekha Prakash, is in critical condition in the intensive care unit, while others are in stable condition.

Home Minister Lekhak praised the efforts of the Nepal Army, Police, and Armed Police Force for their role in the rescue operations. He mentioned that decisions regarding further treatment for the injured will be made based on consultations with doctors.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli extended his condolences to the families of the victims, describing the accident as a significant tragedy. He also conveyed his sympathies to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

For emergency assistance, the Indian embassy in Nepal has provided relief numbers available 24/7 on WhatsApp: +977-9851107021, +977-9851316807, and +977-9749833292.

The accident occurred when a bus from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, carrying 43 passengers, including the driver and helpers, crashed at Aanboo Khaireni near the Marsyangdi River in Tanahun district. The bus fell approximately 150 meters down a hilly road. Rescue operations took nearly seven hours, with 16 people dying on the spot and 11 more succumbing to their injuries during treatment.

The cause of the accident remains unknown. The crash site is located about 90 kilometers west of Kathmandu. The bus, registered in Uttar Pradesh, will be lifted with the help of a crane. The victims were part of a larger group of 104 pilgrims from Maharashtra who arrived in Nepal two days prior.

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