A private bus traveling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire near Thaiyat village in Rajasthan on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people and leaving 16 others critically injured. Police reports indicate that the bus departed Jaisalmer around 3 p.m. with 57 passengers aboard, and preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit may have caused the fire. Witnesses reported seeing smoke emanating from the rear of the bus before flames rapidly engulfed the vehicle. The driver acted quickly to stop the bus, but the fire escalated. Local residents, passersby, and army personnel participated in the rescue efforts at the scene. Severely injured passengers were transported to a hospital in Jodhpur for treatment.
Pratap Puri, the BJP MLA from Pokran, confirmed that 19 passengers died at the scene, while one additional individual succumbed to injuries while being taken to the hospital. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the site to evaluate the situation and received a briefing from officials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy and announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for each family of the deceased. President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her condolences, labeling the incident as ‘extremely heartbreaking’ and wishing a swift recovery for those who were injured.