At Least 20 Dead, 16 Injured After Bus Catches Fire in Rajasthan

At least 20 passengers were killed and 16 critically injured when a private bus traveling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire on Tuesday, PTI reported, citing police.

The bus, carrying 57 passengers, had departed Jaisalmer around 3 p.m. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. Smoke was first seen emerging from the rear of the vehicle on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur highway. Although the driver stopped the bus, flames quickly engulfed the entire vehicle.

Locals and passers-by rushed to help, and army personnel also assisted in the rescue efforts. Sixteen critically injured passengers were taken to a hospital in Jodhpur for treatment.

BJP MLA from Pokran, Pratap Puri, told PTI that 19 passengers died on the spot, while one succumbed to burn injuries en route to Jodhpur.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited Jaisalmer following the incident and was briefed by officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased.

President Droupadi Murmu also mourned the loss of lives, describing the incident as “extremely heartbreaking.” In a post on X, she said, “I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”