
In a harrowing incident that has gripped Rajasthan, a passenger bus en route from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur erupted in flames near Thaiyat village, just 10 kilometers from the city, resulting in the deaths of 20 individuals, among them three young children. Another 15 passengers sustained severe injuries and remain in critical condition, according to local authorities.
The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon, with officials suspecting a short circuit in the vehicle’s air-conditioning system that led to a gas leak and rapid conflagration. Pokhran MLA Pratap Puri shared this preliminary assessment with reporters later that evening, highlighting the tragic sequence of events that unfolded outside the Jaisalmer Army station.
Rescue teams faced immense challenges in the aftermath. Nineteen charred bodies were eventually recovered from the wreckage, while the 16 most seriously hurt passengers received initial medical attention at Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer before being airlifted to Jodhpur for advanced care. Tragically, one of them, 75-year-old Hussain Khan, succumbed to his injuries en route or upon arrival. Among the deceased, six hailed from Jodhpur, with the remainder being residents of Jaisalmer.
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The Army’s Battle Axe Division sprang into action first, arriving promptly at the scene under the leadership of Major General Ashish Khurana. Joined by police personnel and nearby villagers, the responders managed to extinguish the blaze but were forced to wait approximately four hours before extracting the remains, as the intense heat from the metal frame posed significant risks. Jaisalmer collector Pratap Singh confirmed the delay, noting that the bus’s remnants were subsequently transported to the Army station for further processing.
Complicating logistics, an ongoing military war exercise in the area left Army vehicles unavailable for ferrying the bodies. Instead, a Border Security Force (BSF) unit was called upon to convey the unrecognizable remains to Jodhpur, where forensic examinations and DNA testing will aid in formal identification. As of late Tuesday, only seven victims had been named by the local administration: Rajendra Singh Chauhan, Hasina, Irfan, Barkat Khan, Gopilal, Ayub Khan, and Nasira.
The tragedy has drawn swift expressions of grief from India’s top leadership. President Droupadi Murmu conveyed her profound sorrow via a Hindi post on X, describing the incident as “extremely heartbreaking” and offering condolences to the families while wishing a swift recovery to the survivors. Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed these sentiments, underscoring the nation’s collective mourning for the lives lost in this preventable catastrophe.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on supporting the bereaved and ensuring the injured receive optimal treatment, amid calls for enhanced safety measures on Rajasthan’s roadways.