Bara, January 27

Chief District Officer Ganesh Bhattarai of Bara, who was critically injured in a Scorpio jeep accident near Pasaha bridge in Jitpursimara Sub-metropolitan City on the East-West Highway last night was airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.

Bhattarai, who has received deep cuts on his head, was airlifted to Kathmandu-based Grande Hospital in a chopper, He was put on ventilator support. He was treated at Birgunj-based Health Care Hospital earlier.

APF SP Balaram Pokhrel had died on the spot in the accident. Pokhrel’s body was sent to Kathmandu today.

CDO Bhattarai, his two body guards and driver were injured in the incident. The injured are APF Head Constable Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Constable Shambhu Gurung and driver Jagat Patel. Patel is undergoing treatment in Birgunj while Gurung is being treated at Kathmandu-based Police Hospital. Yadav returned home after primary treatment, said DSP Ranjit Singh Rathaur.

Rathaur blamed driver’s negligence for the accident. “But, since the driver too is injured, we shall investigate him after he returns from hospital”, he said.

The Scorpio jeep had met with an accident after it hit a parked tractor near Pasaha along the Pathlaiya-Nijgadh road section in Bara.

The Scorpio jeep was returning from a picnic at Martyr Hiralal Memorial Park organised by Civil Servants’ Milan Centerm Bara.