KATHMANDU: As many as five persons died and four others including a child sustained injuries after the jeep they were travelling on fell below the road in Purbakhola Rural Municipality-2 in Palpa district on Thursday evening.

According to spokesperson at Palpa District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Binod Ghimire, the jeep (Lu 1 Ja 2653) heading towards Bahadurpur from Jalpa fell about 500 metres below the road, killing four passengers on the spot and critically injuring five others at Ramitapur, at around 7:00 pm yesterday. One of the injured died during the course of treatment at a hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Yanisara Gaha (32), Buma Kumari Darlami (40), Rewat Bahadur GC (75), Birendra Rana (20) and Kunisara Ruchal (24), all the residents of Mathagadhi Rural Municipality-8.

The joint team of security personnel deployed from the local Taau-based police post and DPO reached the incident site to rescue the passengers.

Police informed that the injured were rushed to local Prabhas Medical College where Ruchal died during the course of treatment while others have been receiving treatment.

Police have blamed the accident on the bad condition of the narrow and unpaved road.

It has been reported that the jeep was carrying a total of nine persons including the driver.