The bodies of 25 Indian nationals who were killed in a road accident in Ainapahra of Anbukhaireni-4, Tanahun on Friday were flown from Chitwan to Nashik in Maharashtra on Saturday, Indradev Yadav, chief district officer of Chitwan, said. The government of India arranged a special Indian Air Force plane to repatriate the dead bodies of the Indian nationals.

At least 27 Indian nationals were killed when a bus bearing an Indian number plate plunged into Marsyangdi River of Anbhukhaireni Rural Municipality in Tanahun district on Friday.

The postmortem of all 27 Indian nationals was conducted at Bharatpur Hospital, Yadav said. Two dead bodies were sent to Gorakhpur in an ambulance.

Raksha Nikhil Khadse, union minister of state for youth affairs and sports of India, arrived in Kathmandu on Friday to inquire about the condition of the Indian citizens injured in the accident.

Khadse went to Chitwan on Saturday afternoon and was accompanied by the dead bodies in the special aircraft to Maharashtra, said Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, spokesperson for the home ministry.

Eknath Sindhe, the chief minister of Maharashtra, took to X to express condolence to the families of the victims. “The news of a tragic accident of a bus, carrying pilgrims from India, including Maharashtra's Jalgaon in Nepal, is deeply saddening,” Sindhe wrote. “Unfortunately, some devotees have lost their lives, while others have been seriously injured. In coordination with the Nepal Embassy and the Uttar Pradesh government, the state government ensures 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.”

Some of the relatives of Indian minister of state Khadse were killed in the road mishap.

Khadse, along with Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, among others, visited the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) on Saturday and inquired about the health of the Indian citizens receiving treatment there. Later, she received a briefing at the home ministry along with Minister Lekhak.

“Met 16 Indian nationals who were injured in the road accident yesterday and are currently undergoing treatment at Tribhuvan Teaching Hospital along with home minister of Nepal Ramesh Lekhak,” she wrote on X after visiting the injured people.

The bus, en route to Kathmandu from Pokhara, skidded off the road at Ainapahara in ward 2 of the rural municipality and fell about 150 metres into the river at around 11:30 am on Friday. While 26 people died at the accident site, one more succumbed to injuries at Old Medical College in Chitwan, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Paudel of the District Traffic Police Office, Tanahun. The injured were medevaced to Kathmandu on a Nepal Army helicopter. All the 16 injured are being treated at Maharajgunj-based Teaching Hospital.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of IRs200,000 from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund for next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Tanahun district, Nepal on Saturday, according to the announcement made by the Indian prime minister’s office. The injured would be given IRs50,000 each.

During the briefing at the home ministry, the Indian minister Khadse praised the role played by the security personnel and doctors in Kathmandu. “Even though my relatives have died,” she said, “I want to extend my gratitude to security personnel and doctors.”

She thanked the home minister and the government of Nepal for the prompt and timely assistance provided for the search and rescue operations and the treatment of the injured. She also appreciated the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu for providing necessary assistance and coordination on the ground with Nepali authorities.

Home Minister Lekhak said that security agencies left no stone unturned to carry out the rescue as soon as the accident was reported.

“During our conversation, the Indian minister thanked the Nepal government, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police for the prompt rescue so that some people were alive,” Lekhak said.