36 Indians among 39 killed in Nepal bus accident

At least 39 pilgrims, most of them Indians, have been killed when the bus carrying them plunged into a flooded river canal in Nawalparasi district of Nepal close to the Indo-Nepal border today. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Jul 15, 2012, 20:49:37 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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At least 39 pilgrims, most of them Indians, have been killed when the bus carrying them plunged into a flooded river canal in Nawalparasi district of Nepal close to the Indo-Nepal border on Sunday.

The accident took place at 1:00 pm when the bus carrying pilgrims, most from Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh, fell into the Gandak canal nearly 150 km west of Kathmandu.

Police say the bus was carrying anywhere between 70-80 passengers to a popular Hindu temple of Lord Shiva at Triveni. Overcrowding and driver’s negligence are believed have caused the accident.

“The bodies recovered from the site include 10 women, one girl child and 28 men. We have not been able to verify their identities, but all of the 10 injured are Indians,” said an official at Nawalparasi district police office.

The injured have been shifted to two hospitals within the district and rescue and relief efforts are underway. The death toll is expected to rise as over two dozen passengers are still missing.

A press release issued by the Indian Embassy stated that 36 of the 39 victims are reported to be Indians. Names of the injured Indians are as follows:

1. Sobha Ram Bharti, M, 35

2. Manori Chamar, M, 35

3. Jitender Chamar, M, 20

4. Grijesh Kushwaha, M, 17

5. Satrughan Kushwaha, M, 17

6. Binod Chaudhury, M, 15

7. Dharam Devi Bharti, F, 20

8. Ranjeet Bharti, M, 25

9. Pooja Marada, F, 25

10. Noor Mohammad, M, 20

The embassy has sent a special team including doctors to the accident site to assist the local authorities in rescue operations. Authorities from border Indian districts including a Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) contingent also reached the spot.

Phone numbers of information centre at Indian Embassy.

00-977-1-4412125 and 00-977-1-4411699 extn. 4109.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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