Kathmandu, July 16: Fifteen bodies, out of 65, who went missing after two passenger buses plunged into the Trishuli River following a landslide at Simaltal of Bharatpur metropolis-29 in Chitwan, have been found. Among the retrieved bodies, eight have been identified.
According to the Armed Police Force (APF) updates, till 9:30 am today, they have ascertained the identities of eight victims including three Indian citizens.
Those Indian nationals are Rhishipal Sah, 28, from Sitamani of Bihar, Jaya Prakash Thakur, 30 from Betiya Thana of Paschim Champaran and Sajad Ansari, 30, of Betiya Majheiliya.
Similarly, Bikash Pariyar, 22, of Madi-2, Chitwan; Ramit Kushar Majhi, 19, of Barhathawa-3, Sarlahi; Sudip BK, 23, of Patahani of Bharatpur metropolis-22, Paramananda Pundit, 43, of Bishrampur-6, Bara; and Firoj Miya of Rautahat-17.
APF’s Joint Spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police, Shailendra Thapa, said their relatives have already received the bodies.
Seven dead including one woman are yet to be identified and their bodies were retrieved from Golaghat, Salabas, and Sisawar of Chitwan, Gaidakot, Bhutaha, and Tribeni Barrage of Nawalpur.
It may be noted that on Friday, two passenger buses fell into the Trishuli River after being caught in a landslide at Simaltal. One bus (Bagamati Province 3-006 Kha 1516) was traveling from Birgunj to Kathmandu, while the other (Bagamati Province 03-001 Kha 2459) was en route to Gaur from Kathmandu.
It is said 65 passengers were onboard the two buses: 38 on the bus bound for Kathmandu from Birgunj and 38 on the next.
Three passengers of the bus on the Kathmandu-Gaur route could save lives by jumping from the vehicle.
Jugeshwor Raya Yadav and Saroj Kumar Gupta of Garuda municipality-19 in Rautahat have already returned home while Nandan Das of Dewahi Banahi municipality-10 in Rautahat is under medical treatment, it is said.
Simaltal landslide: Coordination made with bordering Indian districts
Meanwhile, coordination has been made with bordering Indian districts in course of carrying out search for the missing buses and passengers in landslide occurred at Simaltal along Narayangadh-Muglin road section.
Search operation has been conducted in coordination with the authorities in Indian districts suspecting the bodies might have been washed away and reached India after some bodies of missing passengers were found in the Narayani river near the India border.
Chief District Officer of Chitwan, Indra Dev Yadav, said coordination was made with DM of Maharajgunj district of Uttar Pradesh and West Champaran of Bihar State.
Both DMs were urged to inform if bodies were found in river, he added, stating that coordination was made as bodies might have been carried away by the river towards Indian side after reaching Gandak barrage. Trishuli river flows towards India via Tribeni after joining Narayani.
Two buses—one heading towards Kathmandu from Birgunj and another heading towards Gaur from Kathmandu were swept away by landslide at Simaltal and went missing in Trishuli river on July 12.
Out of 65 passengers in the buses, three managed to save their lives and 62 are still missing. Bodies of 15 passengers were recovered till today.
A taskforce formed by Home Ministry on Monday to study about the incident would carry out onsite study on Wednesday. #chitwan #bus #landslide #rss #nepal
