Bus debris found on Trishuli; suspected from Simaltal crash

KATHMANDU: Remains of a bus have been discovered along the banks of the Trishuli River near Simaltal in Bharatpur Metropolitan City–29, raising the possibility that it belongs to one of the two deluxe buses that went missing after being swept away by a landslide earlier this year.

The wreckage, a blue-colored section of a bus, was found buried under sand on the Tanahun side of the riverbank near the Simaltal area.

Local residents alerted the police after noticing a suspicious object, following which a police team was immediately deployed to the site.

According to Ravindra Khanal, spokesperson for the Chitwan District Police Office and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), authorities are working to confirm the identity of the recovered remains.

“A portion of a bus has been spotted buried in sand. Detailed examination and identification are underway to determine whether it is part of the buses that went missing in Asar,” DSP Khanal said.

The incident dates back to July 12, when a massive landslide accompanied by mud and debris struck the Muglin–Narayangadh road section at Simaltal, sweeping two passenger buses into the Trishuli River.

The buses involved were the ‘Ganapati Deluxe’ (Bagmati Province 03-001 Kha 2495), traveling from Birgunj to Kathmandu, and the ‘Angel Deluxe’ (Bagmati Province 03-006 Kha 1516), en route from Kathmandu to Gaur, Rautahat.

A total of 65 passengers were reported missing following the accident. Despite extensive search operations involving national and international rescue teams, including divers from India, the main bodies of the buses could not be located.

During the search, bodies of 25 passengers were recovered from various locations, while 40 people remain missing.

Authorities say further investigation will continue to determine whether the newly discovered wreckage is linked to the tragic incident.