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Jaipur, October 21 (IANS) The death toll in the tragic Jaisalmer bus fire incident has reached 26 after one more injured person died during treatment.
According to Dr. Fateh Singh Bhati, Superintendent of Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, the deceased has been identified as Om Prakash (40), resident of Lathi village of Jaisalmer district.
Dr. Bhati said on Tuesday, “Om Prakash was on ventilator and died today during treatment.” He said six people were still undergoing treatment, including one on ventilator and five in the general ward.
The dead included a woman named Imamat, who had lost her three children just a day before the tragedy. Her seriously injured husband has been taken to Ahmedabad for further treatment.
Earlier, 20 passengers had died on the spot, while six more passengers succumbed to their injuries over the next few days. Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire.
Superintendent of Police Abhishek Shivhare confirmed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on the day of the incident.
Based on the complaint of Chandan Singh, brother of deceased journalist Rajendra Singh Chauhan, bus owner Turab Ali and driver Shaukat have been arrested.
Preliminary findings from the investigation revealed that the bus body was manufactured at the Jainam Coach Craft Workshop in Mogra, which was owned by the same company.
The workshop allegedly ignored mandatory AIS 119 safety standards, completing the chassis, wiring and other bodywork without proper approvals.
Further investigation revealed that the bus was originally registered as a non-AC vehicle and had been illegally modified to include air conditioning and additional seating arrangements.
It is believed that the fire broke out due to bad wiring.
Investigators also found that the emergency exit was short and obstructed by two seats, further hindering evacuation efforts.
As the investigation progresses, officials are monitoring the condition of the injured.
–IANS
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