Bus from India plunges into river in Nepal, 18 dead

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

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A Nepal police official said that the passenger bus with an Uttar Pradesh number plate that plunged into a river in Nepal’s Tanahun district on Friday originated from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.

“They said that they’re from Mumbai but had booked the vehicle from Kesharbani Travels for 8 days. The travel company also has contacted me and asked for the report. They are from various locations of India, some are from Maharastra, Pune, Panvel and were here in Nepal on a six-day visit. They stayed in Pokhara for two days and prior to that in Lumbini and were on their way to Kathmandu’s Gaushala. Rooms were booked in Narayana Hotel for their stay,” Arjun Khanal, the owner of the hotel where the Indian tourists had stayed for two nights, said.

Fourteen bodies were retrieved from the accident site, the Kumar Neupane, the spokesperson for Nepal’s Armed Police Force said earlier today.