Phidim: Two persons died and three others sustained critical injuries after a jeep they were travelling on overturned and fell below the road in Phuling Municipality-10 of Taplejung district along the Suketar-Pathibhara road section on Monday morning.

The deceased has been identified as Anita Thapa Ghimire (25) and Homnath Ghimire (30), both the residents of Urlabari Municipality-4 in Morang district. The injured have been identified as Anil Jung Thapa (20), Dilip Ghimire (26), of the same municipality and the driver Amik Shrestha of Chamita in Deumai Municipality-1 in Ilam district.

The jeep (Me 1 Ja 1308) ferrying four pilgrims back to Taplejung district headquarters from Pathibhara Devi Temple ran out of control at the hairpin turn and plunged 200 metres killing Anita on the spot and injuring others, at Chhatedhunga, at 8:30 am today, informed the District Police Office (DPO), Taplejung.

Of the four injured, Homnath breathed his last during the course of treatment at the Taplejung Hospital while others were referred to a hospital in Birtamod, informed the hospital.

The incident site is at the distance of 10 kilometres from Tapalejung, the district headquarters.

It has been learned that the fatally injured Ghimire and two others except the driver are of the same family.

Meanwhile, further investigation into the case is underway, informed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gyandendra Bahadur Basnet at the DPO.