DHANGADHI: At least three persons have lost their lives after a vehicle they were travelling on was swept away by flash flood in Chautha River at Subeda along Jayaprithivi Highway in Jayaprithvi Municipality-7 in Bajhang district, on Wednesday night, police said.

District Police Office Bajhang identified the deceased as 28-year-old jeep driver Ramesh Chand Thakuri of Dodhara Chandani in Kanchanpur district, 25-year-old Om Ram Ban of Khaptard Channa and Ashu Oda of Kedarsiyu in the district.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rishi Ram Sapkota at the Bajhang District Police Office said, "The jeep was swept away by flash flood in the river as Bajhang witnessed heavy downpour yesterday night."

The locals had informed the incident to the police after witnessing a vehicle being swept away by the river this morning. Meanwhile, police are trying to pull away the vehicle from the accident site.

Police have suspected that only three persons were on board the ill-fated vehicle (Se 1 Jha 820) heading to the district headquarters.