BAITADI: Twenty-one persons have been injured in a bus accident that occurred in Baitadi today. Seven of the injured are reported to be in serious condition.

The injured have been identified as Sitadevi Chand (33), Kisan Dayal (66), Saajan Dayal (12), Naresh Serala (15), Diwani Odd (31) of Bhimdatta Municipality of Kanchanpur district. Similarly, 27-year-old bus assistant, Keshav Saud and 55-year-old Indian national, Jagat Singh Chauhan have sustained serious injuries, Sub-Inspector at Patan-based Area Police Office (APO), Bir Bhadra Khadayat said. According to him, preparations are being made to send all the seriously injured persons to hospitals in districts outside Baitadi for advanced treatment. The rest of the injured have sustained minor injuries. The bus belonging to Mahakali Yatayat (Na 4 Jha 4019) was heading towards Melauli of Baitadi from Mahendranagar when it fell 10 metres below the road at 3:00 am at Lorkha along the Patan-Melauli road section of Baitadi. The bus driver has fled the seen post accident. Police said the accident took place as the driver tried to escape ditches on the road and ran the bus through the edge of the road. As many as 30 people were travelling in the bus.