CM Shinde secures special flight for repatriation of Nepal bus accident victims from Maharashtra

Eknath Shinde/ File Photo

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has conveyed profound sympathies for the terrible deaths of 24 Jalgaon district visitors in a Nepal bus accident. The Chief Minister has offered the bereaved relatives the state government's full support and has taken immediate steps to repatriate the corpses to Maharashtra.

In collaboration with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central authorities, Chief Minister Shinde has scheduled a special Air Force jet to return the bodies of those killed in the Nepal bus accident. The Union Home Minister promised the Chief Minister full assistance from the central government. The special flight will take the bodies to Nashik on August 24, Saturday, where they will be handed over to their families.

Following the Nepal bus disaster, the Chief Minister has been in close contact with officials from the State's Relief and Rehabilitation Department as well as central authorities to facilitate the deceased's timely and dignified repatriation.

A special officer has been designated to coordinate this effort. The bodies would be taken from Nepal to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and then transferred to another Air Force jet heading for Nashik.

The Chief Minister requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to expedite the repatriation of the bodies to Maharashtra. The Union Home Minister assured the Chief Minister that all possible assistance would be provided and informed that a special officer had been appointed for coordination, said a communique from the Chief Minister's Office.

The statement further added, "In response to the Chief Minister's request, a special Air Force flight will be arranged to transport the bodies. Tomorrow, the bodies will be flown from Nepal to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. From there, they will be transferred to another Air Force flight and flown to Nashik, where they will be handed over to their families."

Nepal Bus Accident: CM Shinde expresses his condolences

CM Shinde took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "The news of a tragic accident of a bus, carrying pilgrims from India, including Maharashtra's Jalgaon in Nepal, is deeply saddening. Unfortunately, some devotees have lost their lives, while others have been seriously injured. The state government, in coordination with the Nepal Embassy and the Uttar Pradesh government, is ensuring that the injured receive prompt medical attention. Efforts are also underway to bring the bodies of the deceased back to Maharashtra. The state government is deeply concerned for the victims and their families and stands in solidarity with them during this difficult time."

"My heartfelt condolences to those who lost their family members in this tragic incident. May their soul rest in peace and their relatives get the strength to bear this trauma. A humble prayer for the speedy recovery of the injured," Shinde wrote further.