31 killed in Doti bus disaster

RUPASKANDA (DOTI), Jan 12: Altogether 31 people were killed and 13 injured when a passenger bus skidded and fell off a high hill road at Rupasakanda of Chhatiban VDC in Doti district at around 2 a.m. on Saturday.

According to DSP Pramod Kharel, chief of the Far Western Regional Traffic Police Office, the bus (Na. 4 Kha 3603) fell some 600 meters from the road as the road surface was very wet and slippery with a thin layer of ice. [break]

“The driver lost control of the bus on the very slippery road,” said Kharel. “This is not the first such accident on the road. There have been other deadly accidents here, even ones involving buses. More accidents are bound to occur if we don´t get this road repaired immediately.”

The ill-fated bus, operated by Karnali River Transport Company, was headed toward Attariya of Kailali district from Jaigadh of Achham district.

In Achham, only 35 people had boarded the bus. But by the time it met with the accident, 13 more had gotten onto it.

Among the dead are 23 men, seven women and one child. The injured were rushed to Padma Hospital in Attariya. Eleven injured were later referred to Nepalgunj.

Separate teams of the Nepal Army (NA), Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force (APF) accompanied by locals started rescuing the injured only at around 4 a.m. .

This is the fourth major accident on the Rupaskanda section of Bhimdutta Highway - some 11 kilometers from Gaura Bazaar, Doti district - in the last one year. Seven months ago, 12 people died when a jeep slipped off the road in the same area.

Rescue delay cost more lives

DIL BAHADUR SATYAL/PUSPARAJ JOSHI

ATARIYA (KAILALI): Many lives could have been saved if rescue team had reached the accident site on time, said Jaya Bahadur Chaudhary, one of the injured in the Doti bus accident.

Thirty-one persons died and several others injured when the bus they were traveling met with an accident at Chatiban VDC-9 of Doti district early Sunday morning.

“I was seriously injured but there was no one who could rescue me. All I could do was pray for early arrival of the rescue team," said Chaudhary.

According to Chaudhary, the rescue team comprising of police and locals reached the accident site only at around 7:30 am. “Nipping cold only compounded our woes. A few of us survived, but many others were unfortunate,” he added.

Chaudhary, who is originally from Gadariya VDC-8 of Kailali district, was returning home to celebrate Maghi festival. He was working at a construction site in Kalagaun of Achham.

“The bus skidded off the road after the driver pressed the brake. I though I would die when the bus fell off the road,” recalled Indra Bahadur Khadka, another injured. “Many fell off when the bus skidded off the road, but I caught my seat firmly. Limping slowly, managed to climb to the road. Only then passengers of the other bus parked on the road came to my rescue.”

However, other passengers were not lucky like him. Altogether 22 men, 7 women and a child lost their lives in the accident. Among the 13 injured, 11 have been referred to Nepalgunj for further treatment. Remaining are undergoing treatment at Padma Hospital, Attariya, according to Dr Nar Bahadur Mainali.

Name of 31 deceased names killed in Doti