Dhading, September 19:

Fourteen passengers died when a bus heading to Kathmandu from Birgunj veered off the Prithvi Highway section in Dhading district’s Bhumesthan VDC-4 today and plunged into the Mahesh stream. Thirty-eight persons were injured in the mishap.

The police said they have ascertained identities of 11 dead so far. Bus driver Kumar Rai of Hetaunda, Makawanpur, helper Rajendra Rokka of Dhading, Pramod Patel of Haryana, India, Prem Kumar Mahato of Dhanusha, Indian army Satendra Kumar Chaudhary, Nitesh Thapa of Biratnagar, Laxmi Adhikari of Birgunj, Laxman Kumar Gupta and Ramesh Mahato of India and Birendra Sahani of Gaur are among the dead, the area police office Khanikhola Dhading said.

Fifty-two passengers were on board the bus which was being driven by the helper, according to the passengers.

Local residents, officials of the highway emergency service, army and police personnel rescued the injured and rushed them to Kathmandu.

The dead have been kept at the Gajuri-based primary health centre in the district.

The Associated Press said the police were investigating the cause of the accident.