RAMECHHAP: Five persons* died in a Tata Sumo accident in Okhreni, Ramechhap Municipality-1 of Ramechhap district on Thursday.

Other nine were reported injured in the accident.

All of the victims are from Himganga village.

The Ramechhap District Police Office identified them as Lal Kumari Tamang (40), Janaki Tamang (27) and Ek Bahadur Aale (55) of Himganga-2; Darlami Magar (12) of Himganga-1; and Pushpa Magar of Himganga-7.

Of the injured, four are said to be critical and rushed to Kathmandu for further treatment.

Chief District Officer Shesh Narayan Paudel said others are undergoing treatment at the District Hospital.

The four-wheeler (Na 1 Ja 4161) was heading to Himganga from Ramechhap Bazaar when it fell around 500 metres down the road into a rivulet at around 3 pm, local Tikaram Lama said.

CDO Paudel said troops of Nepal Police and Nepal Army had reached the incident site to carry out rescue operations.

Police inspector Makhkhan Yadav said the vehicle driver is on the run and police have launched a manhunt to nab him.

Police suspected that the load of passengers beyond its capacity resulted into the accident.

The incident site is 24 kilometres away from the district headquarters Manthali.

(Updated)

*The death toll and the number of injured have been revised as per the latest confirmation.