Raje visits accident site, 85 bodies handed over to relatives

Jaipur, Sep 8 (UNI) The bodies of 85 pilgrims, who were killed when a overcrowded truck plunged into a gorge in Rajsamand district yesterday, have been handed over to their relatives.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje reached Rajsamand today by a helicopter and inspected the accident site at Desurighata and also visited the Rajsamand hospital where 61 injured pilgrims are admitted.

The Chief Minister visited the villages of Simal and Madri and met the relatives of injured, providing them consolation and promising compensation and relief. At least 29 villagers of these two villages were killed in the accident.

Rajsamand superintendent of police, Rupinder Singh, told UNI all the bodies have been handed over to their relatives early morning today.

Pilgrims who were heading for the annual Ram Devra fair, mostly belonged to Bhava, Madri, Sindhuskarla and Simal. A gloom has settled over these villages and cries rendered the air as bodies arrived.

The injured have been admitted in Udaipur, Pali, Desuri hospitals.

Meanwhile, questions are being asked as to how such a overcrowded truck carrying over 200 pilgrims were allowed to go on to such a long journey.

Governor Shailendra Kumar Singh has offered his condolences to the next of kin of those dead.

UNI