DHANKUTA: As many as 20 persons have been critically injured in a bus accident at Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-6 of Dhankuta district along the Dharan-Dhankuta road section of Koshi Highway.

The bus (Ko 1 Kha 2824) en route to Chhathar Jorpati Rural Municipality in Tehrathum district from Dharan in Sunsari overturned in the middle of the road as the driver lost control of the vehicle, informed Surendra Khadka, Chief of Dhankuta Traffic Police Office.

Those injured in the accident are receiving treatment at the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.

The vehicle was carrying 55 passengers among whom 20 suffered critical injuries while 35 others sustained minor injuries. Break failure has been suspected as the cause of the accident.

The bus driver and assistant driver have been taken into police custody for further investigation, added police.