A private bus suddenly caught fire in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 20 passengers and seriously injuring 16 others. This accident happened on Jaisalmer-Jodhpur highway, when the bus was going towards Jodhpur with 57 passengers.
Preliminary information has revealed shocking information. It has been told that the police is investigating the angle that the fire in the bus was caused by the explosion of firecrackers. Rajasthan Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said that he has never seen such an accident in his life. There was an explosion in the bus. FSL team will investigate it.
The minister further said that necessary information is being collected by inspecting the incident site. Investigation revealed that some passengers were carrying firecrackers, due to which the fire spread and suddenly there was an explosion in the bus. The condition of the bus and its contents were completely burnt.
Smoke rose and within no time the bus turned into a ball of fire.
Jaisalmer According to the police, the bus had left Jaisalmer at around 3 pm. As the bus moved forward on the highway, the driver saw smoke rising from behind the vehicle. The driver tried to stop the bus, but the fire was so intense that the bus was completely burnt. Local people and passers-by reached the spot and started rescue efforts. Besides, army personnel also helped in relief and rescue operations.
Fire service and police were immediately informed. The injured passengers were admitted to Jawahar Hospital, Jaisalmer, where 16 seriously injured passengers were shifted to Jodhpur hospital in critical condition.
The dead will be identified through DNA test
BJP MLA Pratap Puri told news agency PTI that 20 passengers died in the bus fire. In this, 19 people were killed in the bus itself and 1 passenger died due to serious injuries while being taken to Jodhpur. Jaisalmer district administration has started the process of DNA test to identify the deceased. The bodies are so burnt that their identification will be possible only through DNA. DNA matching will be done before handing over the bodies of the deceased to the families.
Collector Pratap Singh instructed the officials to ensure prompt treatment of the injured passengers. Along with this, helpline numbers were issued so that the affected families could get help.
PM Modi announced compensation
President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan expressed grief over the deaths in this accident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased. He said that an assistance of Rs 50,000 will be given to the injured passengers.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma immediately reached Jaisalmer and inquired about the well being of the injured passengers. He instructed the officials that the injured passengers should be given proper treatment and all possible help should be provided to the affected families.
The Chief Minister posted on
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