Bodies of missing Ganapati Deluxe driver and helper found

CHITWAN, July 16: Search teams have recovered the bodies of the bus driver and a helper of the Ganapati Deluxe, which went missing in the Trishuli river following a sudden landslide at Simaltar in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-19 early Friday morning.

Their bodies were found on Monday near the Gandak Barrage Bridge, about 103 kilometers downstream from the accident site. According to the Chitwan District Administration Office, family members were able to identify the bodies on Tuesday.

The driver of the Ganapati Deluxe bus, travelling from Kathmandu to Gaur, was identified as Kishor Kumar Chaudhary, 35, of Babar Municipality-.6 of Rautahat. The bus conductor was Rishi Kumar Singh, 48, of Chapur Municipality-10 in the same district.

According to Chitwan Deputy District Commissioner Khimanand Bhusal, the bodies of nine missing passengers have also been identified. He said the condition of 45 passengers is still unknown.

The passengers of the two buses that plunged into the Trishuli river five days ago are still missing. So far, 17 bodies have been recovered from different parts of the Trishuli and Narayani rivers. Eight bodies are yet to be identified, said Deputy District Collector Bhusal. The bodies of the identified persons have been brought home by their relatives.

On Tuesday, three bodies were found on the banks of Narayani river in Gaindakot Municipality-10 and Madhya Bindu Municipality. He mentioned that arrangements were being made to shift their bodies to Bharatpur Hospital for postmortem.

The buses, one from Birgunj to Kathmandu and one from Kathmandu to Gaur, disappeared on Friday morning following a sudden landslide in the Trishuli river. According to police, a total of 65 passengers were on board these ill-fated buses.