Body found in Narayani river confirmed as missing bus passenger

CHITWAN: A body discovered on the bank of the Narayani River at Bharatpur Metropolitan City-28 has been confirmed as one of the passengers from the Ganapati Deluxe bus that was swept into the Trishuli River during a landslide at Simaltal.

SSP Bhesraj Rijal, spokesperson for the District Police Office, reported that the passenger has been identified as Rishi Pal Saha, an Indian citizen.

Identification documents found with the body helped verify his identity. The body has been sent to Bharatpur Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Saha, 28, originally from Rajmunuwa in Motihari, India, was working in Nepal.

His brother, Satya Pal, confirmed the identity of the body.

Saha had been traveling from Jorpati, Kathmandu, to Gaur on the Ganapati Deluxe Bus when the incident occurred.

The bus (Bagmati Province-03-001 Kha 2495) was swept away by a landslide into the Trishuli River.

Fortunately, passengers Nandan Das, Suraj Prasad Gupta, and Jageshwor Yadav managed to escape by jumping from the bus as it fell.

Another bus, Angel Deluxe, also plunged into the river at the same location while traveling from Birgunj to Kathmandu.

The police have intensified the search for the remaining missing passengers.

Approximately 65 passengers were aboard the two buses that went missing.

Currently, a joint team of the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and underwater rescue experts is conducting the search operation.