At least 21 passengers died and 15 others were critically injured when an AC sleeper private passenger bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur in Rajasthan caught fire just 10 minutes into the journey on Tuesday.

While 19 people were burnt alive in the bus, a 79-year-old passenger, Hussain, and a 10-year-old boy succumbed to burn injuries in the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jodhpur. The 19 people died inside the bus and their charred bodies were later recovered.

Advertisement

Of the other critically injured persons, five were on the life support system. The condition of eight others was also stated to be worrisome.

Police said the incident had a high number of casualties, possibly due to the jammed door of the bus that prevented most passengers from escaping the burning vehicle.

Kailas

See Full Page