Jaipur, Oct 14 (IANS) Around 20 people were burnt alive in a horrific tragedy on Tuesday afternoon when a moving AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur Highway near Thaiyat village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

The fire, which broke out around 3:30 p.m., has claimed the lives of 20 passengers, including 79-year-old Hussain Khan, who succumbed to injuries in Jodhpur.

The remaining 19 passengers were declared dead in Jaisalmer. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma arrived in Jaisalmer late Tuesday night. CMO officials said that he also inspected the bus destroyed in the accident in Jaisalmer.

He expressed his gratitude and thanks to all the army personnel and local citizens for their assistance and support during the accident.

Pokaran MLA Pratap Puri and MLA Sang Singh Bhati, along with administrative officials, were present during the meeting. He will also visit Jodhpur to meet the injured who are being treated there, said officials.

The fire erupted suddenly from the rear of the bus, believed to be caused by a short circuit and quickly engulfed the entire vehicle. There were 57 passengers on board. Desperate to escape, several people jumped out of the moving bus.

Fifteen passengers — including four women and two children— sustained serious burn injuries, with some suffering up to 70 per cent burns. They were initially rushed to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer via three ambulances and later referred to Jodhpur for advanced treatment.

A green corridor was created on National Highway 125 to facilitate the urgent transfer, with eight ambulances escorted by police. District Collector Pratap Singh confirmed that the bus was completely gutted and many victims were burned beyond recognition. DNA and forensic teams from Jodhpur have arrived to aid in identification.

The Collector has appealed to the families of the deceased to contact the helpline set up by the district administration.

He added, “The identity of the deceased will be confirmed through DNA testing, similar to the protocol followed in the Ahmedabad plane crash. Only then will the bodies be handed over to their families.”

In a tragic irony, the bus involved in the accident was reportedly purchased only five days ago.

The fire broke out roughly 20 km from Jaisalmer, shortly after the bus had departed for Jodhpur at around 3:00 PM. Eyewitnesses reported seeing ‘plumes of smoke and flames shooting into the sky’. Villagers and passersby rushed to the scene and began rescue efforts before emergency services arrived.

Firefighters and police were soon dispatched to control the blaze and assist with relief work. Authorities have cordoned off the accident site and erected ‘barricades’ to restrict public movement. Forensic investigations are ongoing.

Among the deceased was ‘local journalist Rajendra Singh Chauhan’, who was en route to ‘Pokhran’ for a medical store inauguration along with Manoj Bhatia, a member of the Jaisalmer Chemist Association.

Bhatia managed to escape with burn injuries, but Chauhan was reportedly trapped inside the burning bus.

Former CM Ashok Gehlot also expressed condolences on the tragic accident.

He said, “The loss of 20 lives due to a bus catching fire is heartbreaking. The news of this tragedy is deeply disturbing. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured,” he said.

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has postponed his campaigning in Patna tomorrow due to the seriousness and tragedy of the incident.

–IANS

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