Surkhet, June 14

At least 11 persons were killed on the spot and 19 were injured when a bus en-route to Mahendranagar from Kalikot’s Jitekanda plunged into the Karnali River, in Dailekh’s Athbis Municipality today.

According to Inspector Ekendra Khadka of Dailekh District Police Office, seven men, three women and a minor were killed in the accident that occurred around 3:30pm.

Khadka said eight of the deceased have been identified. They are Dhirendra Bahadur BC, 25, Singh Nepali, 31, and his 10-year-old daughter Rupa Nepali of Achham; and Yubaraj Shahi, 40, Dharmaraj Shahi, 25, Prakash Shahi, 23, Prakash Shahi, 25, and Kabita Shahi, 21, of Kalikot.

A police team, along with locals, rescued those trapped in the ill-fated bus. “Nine of the injured are in critical condition and have been taken to Kohalpur Medical College; others are being treated at a local health facility in Ram Karnali,” he said.

Deputy Inspector General Bijayalal Kayastha of the Regional Police Office of Surkhet said teams of doctors from Kalikot and Dailekh had reached Ram Karnali to treat those injured. “The critically injured may have to be brought to Surkhet for treatment,” he added.

Police suspect that the accident occurred after the driver lost control on a narrow stretch of the road.

Apparently, he jumped to safety and is in touch with police.

“Our preliminary investigation shows that there were 32 persons on board, including the driver,” said DIG Kayastha.