Jajarkot, March 17

The death of 26 people in the Jajarkot bus tragedy on March 9 has left the entire district aghast. The accident left at least five grade “A” Kamaiyas dead and three others critically injured.

Kalo Tiruwa, 51, of Majkot – 7 was returning home after obtaining his land ownership certificate for the first time in his life. Travelling back from the District Land Revenue Office, where he got his land registered, he was killed in the ill-fated accident.

A commuter bus heading for Salma-5, Khara met  with the accident at Boharagaun. Of 62 persons on board the bus, as many  as 26 lost their lives and the remaining 36 sustained critical injuries  in the fatal mishap.

As one-and-a-half year old Keshav Tule is battling for his life in Nepalgunj Medical College after sustaining serious injuries in the same accident in which he lost his mother, Lal Sari Tiruwa,  his father, Tule Tiruwa, who also obtained the family’s first land ownership certificate on March 9, is undergoing treatment in the same hospital.

Another victim from the Kamaiya community, 33-year-old Kaldari Chadara, also died in the accident after obtaining the land ownership certificate.

Similarly, deceased Aaite Kami and Kajite Kami of Salma – 5 also were also grade “A” freed Kamaiyas. Both of them were provided with Rs 3.25 lakh for the construction of their house in grant.

Other critically injured Kamaiyas are identified as Gori Tiruwa of Majkot – 7, Prasad Nepali of Karkigaun – 7 and Bude Kami of Salma -5 of the district. All of them are receiving treatment in Nepalgunj. They purchased land last year under the government grant for freed tillers.