Death toll in Nawalparasi bus-truck collision reaches nine, five victims identified

KAWASOTI: The death toll in the collision of passenger bus and truck at Daunne of Nawalparasi along the East-West Highway has reached nine. So far, five of the victims, including one minor,  have been identified.

According to police, among the victims were Jeevan Khadka (32) of Bijauri-2, Dang; Sumitra Lama (23) of Kawasoti-8, Nawalparasi; Sumitra's seven-year-old daughter Ansu Lama; Maili Tamang (50) of Bardaghat-6, Nawalparasi and Govinda Basnet (45) of Tribhuvan Municipality, Dang.

The truck with Indian registration number (UP 32 DN 854) hit a night bus (Na.4Kha.5143) heading towards Dang from Kathmandu, police said.

Among the injured are truck driver Byas Sharma (51) of Uttar Pradesh in India, Sharan Naresh Nepali (27) of Ghorahi Municipality-5, Dang; Susmita Dhakal of Kawasoti-2, Nawalparasi; Subhash Nepali of Bijauri-3, Dang; Gopal Regmi (30) of Hattipharsatik-8, Rupandehi; Binod Adhikari (27) of Ghyalchok, Gorkha and Ek Bahadur Khatri (45) of Bharatpur Sub-metropolitan City-2, Chitwan.

Superintendent of Police, Nal Prasad Upadhyaya, at the District Police Office, Nawalparasi, said the bus ascending the slope had collided with the truck laden with goods coming from the opposite direction.

SP Upadhyaya said the accident took place due to brake failure of the truck.