2 killed, 1 injured in Panchthar tractor accident

PHIDIM: Two persons died and another one sustained injuries when the tractor they were travelling on overturned in Hilihang Rural Municipality-5 in Panchthar on Saturday morning.

The deceased have been identified as driver Bhupendra Darjee (22) and passenger Kamal Bhattarai (22), and the injured has been identified as driver's assistant Samir Sherpa, all residents of Sirijangha Rural Municipality-1 in Taplejung district.

The tractor (Ko 1 Ta 3406) heading to Phidim from Taplejung overturned, killing Bhattarai and Darjee on the spot, and leaving Sherpa injured in Salleri, at 7:00 am today, according to Chief of Panchthar District Police Office (DPO), Bam Dev Gautam.

Injured Sherpa has been undergoing treatment at the Phidim-based Pathibhara Health Care Hospital.

The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, informed police.

DPO Chief Gautam said, "The bodies of the deceased has been taken to Panchthar District Hospital for the postmortem."

Further investigations into the incident is underway, said police.