Bus lost in Simaltal accident 18 months ago found in Trishuli River

By Shaligram Nepal,Chitwan, Jan. 14: It has been confirmed that the bus found in the Trishuli River is the same bus that was lost in the Simaltal accident eighteen months ago.

After only a small part of the bus became visible on Sunday morning, the police began excavation work. By the third day of excavation, it was confirmed that the bus was the one involved in the Simaltal accident. 

Police Inspector Pratik Singh of the Mugling Area Police Office said that a section of the bus was recovered from the excavation that bore the words ‘Ganapati Deluxe’, confirming that it was the one gone missing. 

As excavation work is still ongoing, he added that further evidence may be found.

On the morning of July 5, 2024, a Ganapati Transport bus (Province 03–001 Kha 2495) travelling from Kathmandu to Gaur and an Angel Deluxe bus (Bagmati Province 03–006 Kha 1516) travelling from Birgunj to Kathmandu were struck by a landslide at Simaltal - 22 kilometres towards Mugling from Narayangadh. 

The landslide swept both buses off the road and into the Trishuli River. Search operations were carried out after the buses fell into the river, but they could not be located at the time. There were 65 passengers on board the two buses. 

Of those, three passengers travelling on the Ganapati Transport bus managed to swim to safety after plunging into the river, while all others were swept away along with the buses.

Only a few bodies of those involved in the accident were recovered. In the search for the buses and passengers, around 500 security personnel were deployed, including divers from the Nepal Army and Armed Police Force, along with water drones and police teams. 

The government also brought in high-tech divers from India to assist with further searches, but the bus could not be found at that time.

Ravindra Khanal, spokesperson for the Chitwan District Police Office, said that further evidence related to the incident is currently being sought. Efforts are under way to search for additional evidence inside the bus and to retrieve other parts of it. He noted that the difficult location is causing problems in carrying out the work.