KATHMANDU, May 3: At least 12 persons were killed when a bus, which heading from Khurkot of Sindhuli to Banepa, veered 200 meters down the road at Ritthebhir of Kavre along Banepa-Sindhuli-Bardibas highway on Tuesday.
Of those killed, five are women while seven are male. [break]
A team of police, assisted by locals, rescued 12 injured passengers from the accident spot. They are undergoing treatment at Dhulikhel hospital. Some of the injured have been referred to B and B Hospital in Lalitpur.
Other passengers are still missing. Some of them are believed to have been trapped inside the wrecked bus (Ba 2 Kha 3375). Police say some 35 passengers were traveling in the bus operated by Himal Tarai Transport Service Committee.
Most of the passengers traveling in the bus were heading home to visit their mothers on the occasion of Mata Tirtha Aunsi, a Hindu festival.
According to the police, Shiv Karki, an NA soldier from Shree Jung Battalion of Ramechhap, Shyam Basali, a resident of Jhangajholi Ratamata of Sindhuli, and Aaite Majhi, a resident of Bhirpani in Ramechhap died on the spot.
Two women, including Rupa Shrestha of Himganga village in Ramechhap breathed their last while being rushed to hospital. The identity of the other woman is yet to be confirmed. Police are yet to ascertain the identities of five other passengers whose dead bodies were recovered from the accident site.
According to Suresh Pokhrel, one of the injured, the driver lost control after the bus rammed into a sideway mound, while overtaking a bus which was moving ahead. “The bus hit the mound and veered off the road,” Pokhrel said, adding, “The driver was unnecessarily rushing. He had told us that he would stop the bus for lunch before other buses.” Pokhrel had survived by jumping out of window.
The injured have been identified as Ram Kumar Shrestha, Devraj Shrestha, Suresh Pokhrel and Sunita Shrestha of Sindhuli, Bikram Nepali, Kalpana Thapa Magar, Karna Bahadur Majhi and his four year old son Arun Majhi, Sanu Maya Thapa, Ram Kumar Thapa of Ramchhap. Of them, Arun, Rajkumar and Sunita, who have been refereed to B and B hospital, are said to be in a critical condition.
Last year, a bus (Ba. 2 Kha 7936) had overturned along the same highway on the day of Mata Tirtha, leaving three passengers dead and 20 injured.
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