KATHMANDU: At least four persons lost their lives and 18 others sustained injuries in a jeep accident at Bhadrakali along the BP Highway in Sindhuli district, on Friday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Vinod Sharma, talking to THT Online over the phone said, "Four persons died on the spot while 18 others injured in the incident have been rescued and sent to Sindhuli District Hospital for treatment."

The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained, according to DSP Sharma.

A Bolero jeep (Ba 11 Cha 2275) heading to Khurkot from Sindhuli Bazaar lost control and fell some 400 metres below the road after the driver lost his focus due to drowsiness.

Most of the victims boarded the ill-fated jeep after it had crossed the police check-post along the highway, the DSP added.

The jeep was overcrowded with people who thronged to the district headquarters to observe the Sindhuli festival and collect their earthquake relief funds.

Road accidents are common in Nepal due to pathetic condition of roads, poor maintenance of highways, and feeble execution of traffic rules.