*New Delhi, August 24, 2024* — The death toll from a tragic road accident in Nepal’s Tahahun district has risen to 41, Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan confirmed today. The accident occurred when a bus carrying Indian tourists veered off a highway and plunged 150 feet into a river valley on Friday. The bus was en route from the popular tourist destination of Pokhara to the capital, Kathmandu.Most of the victims were from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district. The injured passengers have been airlifted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. An Indian Air Force plane is set to transport the bodies of the deceased from Gorakhpur to Nashik. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured that the state government will cover all expenses related to this operation.In response to the disaster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced financial aid from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Families of the deceased will receive Rs 2 lakh each, while the injured will be given Rs 50,000. The bodies and injured are expected to enter India through Maharajganj district on Saturday afternoon, according to Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Director Lahu Mali.The Nepal Army has already transported 12 people to the hospital, and efforts continue to manage the crisis. The accident underscores ongoing concerns about road safety in Nepal, where poor road conditions and reckless driving contribute to frequent fatal crashes.