Krishnabhir bus plunge toll reaches 17; 3 more killed in Nawalparasi

The death toll in a bus accident in Krishnabhir of Dhading district has reached 17 after authorities fished out the bodies of seven more persons.

Earlier, six persons had died on the spot when the passenger bus met with an accident at Krishnabhir of Dhusa VDC-1, Dhading district Monday morning. Additionally, four critically injured passengers died while being rushed to Kathmandu for treatment.

Police have so far identified eight victims of the accident – Top Bahadur Dhamala of Katari, Udaypur, Deepak Khanal of Gajuri, Dhading, Nepal Army Havaldar Shub Bahadur Karki, Chhipnarayan Shrestha, 22, of Udaypur, Mohammad Kalamuddin, 28 of Siraha, Narayan Adhikari of Nuwakot, Surendra Saha, 22, of Udaypur and Binod Mahara, 22, of Dhanusha.

The accident occurred when the bus (Na 2 Kha 4951) heading to Kathmandu from Katari of Udaypur skidded off the road made slippery by heavy rain and plunged some 200 meters down into the swollen Trishuli river at around 4 am.

A rescue team comprising of Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and aided by the locals is still conducting search and rescue operations at the site, police said. However, hopes of finding the missing alive is increasingly becoming slim.

Meanwhile, three people were killed and some 40 other injured in a vehicular accident at Sunwal of Nawalparasi district on Monday.

The accident occurred when the bus (Na 3 Kha 5090) heading to Kathmandu from Dailekh collided head-on with a tipper coming from opposite direction along the East-West Highway at around 4 this morning.

The deceased have been identified as bus passenger Ananta Adhikari, 30, of Kalikot and tipper driver Puran Prasad Pathank, 40, of Naubise. The identity of the third victim could not be ascertained.

The injured are receiving medical treatment at Lumbini Zonal Hospital. The condition of ten among the injured is said to be very critical. Nepalnews.com