A day after one of their vehicles met with an accident in Nepal, 48 pilgrims from Maharashtra arrived here on Saturday night after crossing the land border along with the bodies of a bus driver and his assistant.
The pilgrims will leave on a train from Gorakhpur for their journey back home, officials said.
A special Indian Air Force plane earlier left for Jalgaon in Maharashtra from Nepal with the bodies of the 25 Indian pilgrims killed in the accident.
The bus driver and his assistant are from Uttar Pradesh and their bodies are being sent to their native places in the state, officials said.
The pilgrims were among a group of 110 people from several parts of Maharashtra who had gone to Nepal in two buses and one traveller van. One of their buses veered off the highway and fell into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi river at Abu Khaireni in Tanahun district in central Nepal on Friday.
“Two buses with 48 passengers on board and four bus staff (total 52) were handed over to the district police and administration authorities by Embassy representatives,” UP Relief Commissioner GS Naveen said.
District Magistrate Anunay Jha said the 48 passengers from Maharashtra were sent to Gorakhpur after they were provided food and beverages.
“Special arrangements have been made for remaining passengers to travel from Gorakhpur to their hometown. Very much thankful to the Indian Railways for the swift response,” Union minister Raksha Khadse who is flying back with the mortal remains of the victims, said on X.
The two bodies have also arrived from Nepal, Additional DM Pankaj Kumar Verma said.
“The body of driver Murtaza is being taken to his native place Gorakhpur, while the body of Ramjit is being sent to Kushinagar with a police escort and green channel,” an official said
The survivors were taken to Gorakhpur under police protection and the supervision of the additional district magistrate, district officials said.
The Maharajganj district is located near the Indo-Nepal border.
The DM said the Mahrajganj administration had arranged for six hearses, 11 ambulances and a 42-seater bus at the border to ferry the passengers and bodies. A medical team was also deployed on the border.
The accident occurred in Anbookhaireni area in Chitawan district of Nepal when the bus carrying 43 passengers, including the driver and two helpers, was heading towards Kathmandu from Pokhara.
While 16 people died on the spot, 11 succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
Of the 16 injured, the condition of one is said to be critical, while others are stable, according to hospital sources in Kathmandu. (PTI)
