BAGLUNG: As many as 14 persons were injured after the jeep they were travelling on overturned in Galkot Municipality-11, along the Mid-Hill Pushpalal Highway of Baglung district on Wednesday evening.

The incident occurred when the jeep (Dha 1 Ja 149) en route from Baglung Bazaar to Burtibang lost control and overturned into the roadside drain in Righa yesterday, injuring 14, according to Area Police Office, Harichaur.

Among the injured, Sangita Pun of Badigad Rural Municipality-5, Dilendra Budhamagar of Badigad Rural Municipality-9, Deepak Pun of Galkot Municipality-10, and Ujir Magar of Dhorpatan Municipality-4 are in critical condition. It has been learnt that Magar is former general secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ).

Critically injured along with four others — Kalpana Chantyal, Trishana Chantyal, both of Beni Municipality-3 in Myagdi, Suman Budhamagar of Badigad Rural Municipality-9, and Tikaram Nepali of Kathekola Rural Municipality-3 — have been sent to Manipal Teaching Hospital in Pokhara for treatment, following general treatment at a local hospital.

Meanwhile, injured Makar Thapa of Nishikohal Rural Municipality-4, Rajkumar Shrestha of Nawalparsi, Krishna Thapa of Badigad Rural Municipality-3, Lok Bahadur Khatri of Badigad Rural Municipality-6, Manju Karki and her daughter Ranjita Karki of Dhorpatan Municipality-9 have been undergoing treatment at Arogya Hospital in Galkot Municipality-3.

Police, after preliminary investigation, suspect that the accident might have occurred because the jeep was carrying passengers beyond capacity.

Further investigation is underway in this connection, police said.