Rajasthan: 20 killed after bus catches fire

In Rajasthan, twenty passengers were burnt alive and 16 were critically injured when a private bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire on Tuesday, police said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of deceased. According to police, the bus, carrying 57 passengers, left Jaisalmer around 3 pm. On the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur highway, smoke began emerging from the rear portion. The driver stopped the bus along the roadside, but within moments, the flames engulfed the vehicle. Locals and passers-by rushed to the spot and assisted in the rescue efforts. Army personnel also assisted in the operation.
Fire tenders and police were informed, and the injured passengers were taken to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer for treatment.Police said 16 critically injured passengers have been referred to a hospital in Jodhpur.  Prima facie, it appears that the fire broke out due to a short circuit, police said.

20 people have died after a private bus en route to Jodhpur from Jaisalmer caught fire near the Thaiyat village on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. The deaths have been officially confirmed, while their dead bodies have been recovered from the bus. pic.twitter.com/HRrCnhzgZa

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Following the accident, the district administration has issued an appeal for information to the kin of the victims to ascertain their identity. The bodies will be handed over to family members after DNA matching, officials said.Upon receiving information regarding the incident, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma reached Jaisalmer and was briefed by the officers.