JAISALMER: In one of Rajasthan’s worst road tragedies in recent years, 20 people — including three children — were charred to death and 15 others critically injured when a private bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire on Tuesday afternoon near Thaiyat village, about 10km from Jaisalmer city.
Preliminary reports suggest a short circuit in the air-conditioning unit triggered a gas leak, sparking the blaze, Pokhran MLA Pratap Puri said.
The bus, which caught fire near the Jaisalmer Army station, was reduced to a shell within minutes. Nineteen bodies were recovered from the vehicle, while 16 injured passengers were rushed to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer before being shifted to Jodhpur. One victim, 75-year-old Hussain Khan, later succumbed to his injuries, taking the toll to 20.
Authorities said six victims were from Jodhpur and the remaining from Jaisalmer. The Army’s Battle Axe Division, stationed nearby, was the first to respond. Major General Ashish Khurana, GOC of the division, led rescue efforts along with police and local residents.
Despite the quick response, rescue operations were delayed by nearly four hours as the vehicle’s metal frame remained too hot to touch, Jaisalmer collector Pratap Singh said. Once cooled, the charred remains were taken to the Army station.
Due to ongoing war exercises in Jaisalmer, Army transport vehicles were unavailable. A BSF truck was arranged to carry the bodies — many burnt beyond recognition — to Jodhpur for forensic and DNA identification.
By late evening, officials had identified seven victims: Rajendra Singh Chauhan, Hasina, Irfan, Barkat Khan, Gopilal, Ayub Khan, and Nasira.
Condolences poured in from across the country. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief.
“The deaths of several people due to a bus fire in Jaisalmer are extremely heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” the President said in a post on X in Hindi.
