Uttarakhand bus accident: Bodies of 26 pilgrims to be airlifted to Panna: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Dehradun: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced that the mortal remains of 26 pilgrims confirmed dead so far in a bus accident in Uttarakhand will be ferried home by the Indian Air Force.

Chouhan tweeted: “Urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singhji over phone this morning that the bodies of our brothers and sisters from Panna, who died in the bus accident in Uttarakhand, be brought to Madhya Pradesh with respect by the IAF aircraft.

"He accepted my request. I express my heartfelt gratitude to him,"

The bus carrying 30 people, including 28 pilgrims from Panna to Yamunotri, fell into a 250m-deep gorge on Sunday evening. Four of the remaining are said to be injured. The overnight toll increased by one and touched 26, the Uttarakhand Home Department statement issued said.

Apart from the pilgrims, there was a driver and a helper on board the bus.

The injured were rushed to the health center in Damta, which is about three km from the accident site. Senior doctors from Barkot were called in to treat the injured.

Madhya Pradesh Home Department has released the list of all 28 passengers.

Chouhan along with state minister Bijendra Pratap Singh, Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena and other senior officials were in Dehradun on Sunday night. He met the injured at the hospital and announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin, who died, besides Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the deceased families, and Rs 50,000 to each left injured. (UNI)