GAIGHAT: Two persons were killed and eight others injured in a tractor accident that occurred at Balamta of Lingchungung Rural Municipality-4 in Udayapur district last night. Udayapur District Police Office (DPO) identified the deceased as tractor driver Subin Rai (24) and Pawan Rai (25) of Balamta village. Likewise, the injured have been identified as Bishu Rai (31), Soni Rai (12), Bunu Rai (21), Manisha Rai (17), Poonam Rai (25), Lavish Rai (27), Puja Rai (13) and Tushar Rai (17), all the local residents. The accident occurred as the tractor (Sa 43 Pa 2373) fell about 200 metres below the road while trying to save inebriated pedestrian Pawan Rai, the DPO informed. It has been reported that the tractor carrying a total of 17 persons was returning home after having a picnic at Sirwani in the district when the incident occurred in Balamta at around 10:30 pm yesterday. The injured persons were rushed to District Hospital, Gaighat which referred them to Biratnagar-based Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital for further treatment. Although the traffic police in the district have issued a directive not to travel on tractor trolley since three persons travelling on a tractor were killed and 32 others injured on November 11, people in rural areas frequently travel by tractor.