In the blistering heat of Rajasthan's Thar Desert, what should have been a routine overnight journey from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur turned into a chamber of horrors. On October 14, a private air-conditioned sleeper bus, carrying 57 passengers including families and children, erupted in flames near Thaiyat village, approximately 10 kilometers from Jaisalmer city. Within minutes, the vehicle, a gleaming new acquisition fitted with AC just five days before, became a deathtrap. Twenty-one people, among them three children, were charred beyond recognition. Sixteen others battled severe burns in local hospitals. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, expressed grief at the loss of lives in the tragedy, while announcing ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50 thousand to the injured. Chief Minister of Rajasthan Bhajan Lal Sharma was quick to visit the accident site in Jaisalmer and the hospital in Jodhpur where the injured were admitted.
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An eyewitness described the sce
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