BHIMDATTANAGAR: As many as five persons died and 21 others sustained injured after the passenger bus they were travelling on fell below the road in Sarumarani Rural Municipality-4 of Pyuthan district on Sunday morning.

Among the deceased, one has been identified as bus driver Bir Bahadur Chaudhary while the identity of other deceased — one man and three women — and injured have yet to be ascertained, informed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rajendra Pokharel at District Police Office, Pyuthan.

According to police, the incident occurred when the bus (Na 4 Kha 1876)  en route from Mahendranagar of Kanchanpur district to Khalanga of Pyuthan district veered off the road and plunged around 100 metres below the road in Pyakuri area at around 3:00 am today, killing five on the spot.

Among the injured, 16 have been rushed to the Pyuthan-based District Hospital, whereas, five have been sent to health facilities in Butwal, according to DSP Pokharel.

Police are still struggling to retrieve the body of one of the deceased.

Meanwhile, further investigation into the case is underway, said police.