PM Modi's swift action shows how deeply he cared: Minister Raksha Khadse on 2024 Nepal bus tragedy

New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally intervened to ensure the swift repatriation of bodies following a tragic bus accident in Nepal in 2024, highlighting his deep commitment to citizens in crisis.

In a video posted on the social media platform X, Khadse recounted the incident where a bus carrying about 50 people had fallen about 150 metres into the Marsyangdi River near Kathmandu in Nepal on April 24, 2024, killing about 25 on the spot.

She said that upon receiving news of the accident, she immediately contacted the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for permission to travel to Nepal, as the Prime Minister was abroad at the time.

“They contacted me for help, and I wanted to get there as quickly as possible. They were frightened and also faced a language barrier,” she said.

"I requested a PMO official, P.K. Mishra (Principal Secretary to PM), who spoke to the Prime Minister, and he immediately gave me permission to visit the site," Khadse stated in the video.

She added that the Nepal ambassador was also deputed to accompany her to assist the affected people in the bus accident.

Khadse confirmed that she visited the hospital where the injured were admitted. The hospital officials had kept the medical report of the injured prepared in advance, the Minister added.

She also mentioned the cooperation of Nepalese authorities, who completed the post-mortem examinations and handed over the bodies within four hours after completing the procedures.

The Union Minister said the Prime Minister personally took an interest in the matter, ensuring a defence plane was dispatched to transport the bodies back to Jalgaon, where they landed at 6 p.m.

The Minister described the experience as a moment that showed her that "good intentions to work" can achieve anything. She said the Prime Minister's direct involvement in the crisis revealed "how deeply he cared in the times of crisis."

--IANS

snj/skp