Tragedy in Nepal: Tourist Bus Plunges into Marsyangdi River, Killing 18 Indian Pilgrims

At least 18 Indian pilgrims died after their tourist bus plunged 150 metres into the Marsyangdi River in Nepal. The bus, traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu, carried 43 passengers, including families. MyRepublica reported the group arrived from Bhusal village, Maharashtra for a 10-day tour. Rescue operations are underway.

At least 18 Indian pilgrims who arrived in Nepal from Maharashtra for a 10-day tour were killed after a tourist bus veered off the highway and fell 150 metres into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi River in central Nepal approximately 120 kilometres from the capital on Friday, according to media reports.

The bus from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh was heading towards Nepal's capital Kathmandu from the resort town of Pokhara when it drove off the highway in Aaina Pahara in the Tanahun district. There were 43 people, including the driver and the co-driver, on the bus with an Indian registration number.

The passengers onboard the bus were part of a group of 104 Indian pilgrims who arrived in Nepal from Maharashtra in three buses two days ago for a 10-day tour of the Himalayan nation, MyRepublica news portal reported. They came from Bhusal village in Jalgaon district. After visiting Pokhara for two days, all three buses left for the capital Kathmandu on Friday morning. Madhav Prasad Paudel, chief of the Armed Police Force (APF), Kurintar, said that most of the passengers travelling in the three buses were families and relatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)