POKHARA, Nov 30: An Indian tourist bus (UP 51 T 8311) parked at Dihikopatan of Lakeside in Pokhara caught fire on Monday morning around 9 am. Following the incident, the police detained the bus driver and his assistant for investigation.
The tourists who arrived in Pokhara in the bus were staying in a nearby hotel while the driver and his assistant were inside the bus when the incident occurred.
Although they claimed innocence and stated that three persons torched the bus after sprinkling petrol, the police said their statement was unconvincing.
"Only the interior of the bus, including all the seats, was burnt. The fire hasn't affected the outer parts and the tires much. If outsiders had set fire to the bus, everything would have been burnt, not just the interior of the bus," said SP Hari Bahadur Pal, chief of District Police Office (DPO), Kaski. "We suspect that they set the bus on fire themselves. But the investigation is underway to establish the real cause," he added.
The fire was doused with combined efforts of police personnel, locals and firefighters.
The bus had reached Pokhara from Kathmandu on Sunday carrying forty-nine people, including the bus driver, his assistant and tour guide. All the tourists are from the Indian State of Gujrat, according to SP Pal.
Meanwhile, tourism entrepreneurs have expressed their concerns over the incident. Pokhara Tourism Board released a press statement on the same day and condemned the incident.
"All the tourists, irrespective of where they come from, should feel safe. They should be able to travel in the country safely without fear," said Som Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the board, in the statement.
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