RUKUM: At least seven persons including a newly-wed couple died after a jeep they were travelling on fell below the road in Musikot Municipality-6 of Rukum district.

According to the District Police Bureau Rukum, the jeep (Ga 1 Ja 4260) heading  to Rukum district west headquarters, Khalanga from Rukum east headquarters Rukumkot, skidded off the road and fell about 200 metres below in Sankha at around 8.00 am yesterday.

Among the deceased are Nabin Shrestha of Sisne Rural Municipality-5, Rukumkot and his newly-wedded wife Anita Pradhan, Sudan Shrestha of Musikot Municipality-1, his father Sher Bahadur Shrestha and sister Surekha Saha Shrestha, national referee of Volleyball Janak Shah of Musikot-1 and Yamuna Malla of Triveni Rural Municipality.

The deceased couple were police inspectors. They had married just three days ago. They were returning to duty station after the wedding ceremony.

The jeep driver Prem Rajauriya of Dang, his helper Prem KC of Kaphinkot Rural Municipality in Rukum and  another passenger Tek Bahadur Khatri of  District Hospital Salle have been referred to a health institution in Nepalgunj, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Dhamala informed.

Other injured have been receiving treatment at the District Hospital.

Team from Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and Temporary Police with the help of locals rescued the injured passengers.

The bodies of the deceased have been kept at the District Hospital Salle.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims have huddled at the hospital.

It has been learnt that the post mortem would be carried out  on the deceased inspector Shrestha after his parents would arrive from Itahari.