17 killed in Arghakhachi bus mishap

Krishna/Janardan

KAPILVASTU/GULMI:Seventeen passengers were killed and 11 injured when a bus they were travelling in met with an accident in Kamerepani of Hansapur VDC, some 27 km from

district headquarters Sandhikharka, this morning. The bus was heading towards Sandhikharka from Gokhunga of Arghakhanchi.

According to District Police Office Arghakhanchi, the passenger bus veered off the road and plummeted into a gorge, about 300 metres down the hilly road.

The deceased passengers have been identified as: Putal KC, 24, and Umesh Khanal, 19, of Gokhunga VDC-9; Baburam Khanal, 18, Keshabata Poudel, 34, Manisha Poudel, 5, Prem Poudel, 58, Mina Poudel, 30, Bedu Ram Poudel, 35, and an infant Susma Poudel of Gokhunga VDC-7; Bhup Bahadur Gham, 35, Nandi Gham, 60, Hari Prasad Panthi, 44, and Juna Chundali, 17, of Hansapur VDC; Govinda KC, 18, of Bangemarautha VDC, Pyuthan; Man Bahadur Gham, 26, and Himalal Pun of Pyuthan Chuja VDC, and bus driver Surya Bahadur Bista, 29, of Kapilvastu.

Sixteen passengers died on the spot while one died en route to hospital, police said. Ten of the injured were taken to Universal Medical College, Bhairahawa, while one is undergoing treatment in Lumbini Medical Prabas in Palpa.

Police said the accident occurred since the road was narrow.

Teams from Nepali Army’s Gorakh

Dal Battalion and Arghakhanchi DPO were involved in rescuing the injured passengers. Chitraprasad Wagle, chief, District Public Health Office, said the team from the office had reached the accident site and handed the bodies to their relatives after autopsy.