Barmer/Jaisalmer — Tragedy struck Rajasthan twice within days, as four youths were burnt alive in a car-trailer collision in Barmer, while a separate bus fire in Jaisalmer claimed at least 20 lives.
In Barmer, the accident occurred around 1:30 am near Sada village on the Mega Highway under Sindhari police jurisdiction. The car, carrying five friends from Dabar, Gudamalani, collided head-on with a trailer while returning home after midnight, police said. Four passengers — Mohan Singh (35), Shambhu Singh (20), Pancharam (22), and Prakash (28) — died on the spot due to severe burn injuries. The driver, Dilip Singh, sustained serious injuries.
Balotra Deputy Superintendent of Police Neeraj Sharma confirmed that the victims’ bodies were completely charred and would be identified through DNA testing before being handed over to their families. The bodies were moved to the Sindhari Hospital mortuary, and a detailed investigation is underway. The collision caused a massive traffic jam for nearly an hour until authorities cleared the wreckage.
Meanwhile, in Jaisalmer, at least 20 people were killed and several injured after a private bus en route to Jodhpur caught fire near Thaiyat village on Tuesday. The bus, which had departed from Jaisalmer around 3 pm, reportedly emitted smoke from its rear before catching fire, according to Additional SP Kailash Dhan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the Jaisalmer incident, tweeting that an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased, and ₹50,000 to each injured person.
Rajasthan has been grappling with road safety and vehicular fire hazards, with authorities urging increased vigilance and strict adherence to safety protocols to prevent such tragedies.
