KATHMANDU: A commuter bus (Ba 2 Kha 593) belonging to notorious Swoyambhu Yatayat on Sunday evening bulldozed its way through peanut vendors and pedestrians in Chabahil, killing a woman and leaving four others injured, two critically.

The police have identified the deceased as Dambar Kumari Nepali (45), hailing from Jiri of Dolakha. She succumbed to injuries while being treated at Om Hospital. Nepali was said to be returning home after watching a movie in Gopi Krishna cinema hall.

Other injured are Tara Tamang (35), hailing from Kharung- 7 of Khotang, Rita Bashyal (32) from Palpa, Januka Majhi (35) from Maring Khola of Sindhuli and Madan Shrestha (62) of Tansen- 2 of Palpa. They are undergoing treatment at the Emergency Ward of Om Hospital.

Hospital sources said condition of Rita and Januka is critical. Rita is referred to the Intensive Care Unit.

An eyewitness said Rita, Tara and Januka -street vendors-were selling peanuts when the bus mowed them down.

The angry mob joined by passersby set fire on the bus after the incident. The ill-fated bus was en route to Sukedhara when the incident occurred. The mob also vented anger at three other buses (Ba 2 Kha 5808, Ba 2 Kha 108 and Ba 2 Kha 906) soon after the incident. The bus with the number plate Ba 2 Kha 108 was set ablaze at Hadigaun. All of them were affiliated to Swoyambhu Yatayat.

Earlier on Friday, Chabahil and its adjoining areas remained tense throughout the day after a bus belonging to the same company killed a schoolboy in front of Charumati Bihar.

Seven-year-old Iron Lama was on his way to school when he was run down by the bus at around 9:50 am.

Irate locals and students halted vehicular movement in and adjoining areas for hours and clashed with police. The police resorted to firing tear gas shells and lathicharge the unruly mob after they pelted stones and bricks at them, demanding the government to annul the road permit of the Swoyambhu Yatayat.

Manoj Baidhya, president, Free Students' Union at the Pashupati Multiple Campus in Chabahi warned that they would not allow the bus operated by Swoyambhu Yatayat to ply along the Chabahil route with effect from Monday to prevent the loss of lives in future.

"Swoyambu Yatayat has claimed ten lives in the past six months. How can we let the tainted bus run with killing license?" he asked.

Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has dubbed Chabahil as a 'death zone'.