BAITADI: As many as 14 persons were injured after the bus they were travelling on met with an accident in Patan Municipality-10 along the Dasharathchand Highway in Baitadi district on Monday morning.

The injured have been identified as driver Lokendra Thapa (35), Sunita Airi (22), Adarsha Dhami (8) and Pashupati Airi (16) of Bedkot Municipality-4 in Kanchanpur district; Sher Singh Dhami (28), Rupesh Dhami (5), Bagmati Dhami (22), Rijan Dhami, Hemanti Dhami (10), Bibek Dhami (8) and Nitesh Dhami (5) of Apihimal Rural Municipality-5 in Darchula district; likewise, Basanta Bohara (19) of Dasharathchanda Municipality-2, Ramesh Khatri (22) of Shailyashikar Municipality-7 in Darchula; and Dankure Mahara (55) of Guljar in Dachula, currently residing in Rampur of Kailali.

The incident occurred when the bus (Na 5 Kha 4116) — parked beside the road after it broke down at Aanarkholi — suddenly slipped backward and plunged some 10 metres onto another stretch of the same road at 2:45 am today, informed police.

The injured were rushed to the Far-Western Sub Regional Hospital, Dadeldhura where they are undergoing treatment, with driver being in critical condition, informed District Police Office, Baitadi.

The bus that was en route from Ganna of Baitadi to Mahendranagar has blocked the vehicular movement of the highway after it fell on the middle of the road.

Meanwhile, further investigation into the case is underway, said police.