Patel expressed grief over the incident in which 17 pilgrims were killed after a bus carrying them plunged some 100 metres from a mountain highway in Nepal, which also injured 28 other Gujarat-based pilgrims, a release issued here said.
These pilgrims belong to various villages of Vadhvan taluka in Gujarat's Surendranagar district, it said.
Patel has also directed the Gujarat State Relief Commissioner to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Nepal, to provide timely help and medical treatment to the victims, the release said.