Kathmandu, January 6:

Relatives of the students and teachers, who were killed and hurt in the Nuwakot bus mishap yesterday, gathered on the premises of Academy of Sacred Heart at Dallu, Kathmandu, early this morning. They recalled their experiences of the horrible moments they passed through after the mishap.

Maili Pujari, mother of Kumar Pujari, said she almost lost her mind when she heard the news of the mishap. “I called my relatives for help and rushed to the Bir Hospital,” she said, adding: “I couldn’t identify any body. As I saw a decrepit body of a student, my feet started shivering.”

She later reached the Sidhdhartha Hospital. “But I could not identify my son, but later I identified him after hearing his voice. You cannot imagine what emotions I went through,” she said.

Kumar Pujari, a class three student of the school and a survivor, said: “A teacher rescued me from the wrecked bus. That’s all I can remember”.

Another survivor IV grader Yanji Sherpa said she came out of the bus on her own. “Then I took a taxi,” she said. “It’s over now,” she said bursting into tears.

School principal Sushila Shakya was the only child of octogenarian Swasti Shakya and Hira Shakya. “I wanted my son to serve hundreds of children,” Hira Shakya said.

One of the survivors, Srijana KC, a teacher, said some of them were too tired and were unable to remember how the accident happened.

Anjana Shrestha, one of the eyewitnesses, said the road is winding and too narrow for two vehicles to pass through at a time. It was already dark and the light was dim in the area, resulting in the accident.

Anjana’s family and friends were returning from Kakani in a taxi after picnic. “The bus was approximately 20 meters ahead of us,” she said.

Shrestha said the bus skidded off the road at a turning. “We got off from the taxi and engaged in rescuing those injured. The children were too scared and crying for help. Four of them fainted on the spot”.

Three persons were killed and other 63 injured in the accident. Among the 63 injured, four are still undergoing treatment at Bir Hospital, two at the TU Teaching hospital and 11 at Siddhartha Hospital. Others returned home today.