One dead, eight injured as bus crashes into highway tea-shop

RAJBIRAJ: One person died on the spot when a passenger bus crashed into a tea-shop in Saptari, Saturday morning. Eight others were injured in the incident.

The accident took place when the bus (Na 5 Kha 7937) en route to Kakarbhitta from Kathmandu rammed a truck (Ko 1 Kha 4123) from behind and then crashed into the tea-shop south from the road, after losing control, at Kanchanrup Municipality-9 along the East-West Highway at 6:50 in the morning.

The deceased has been identified as Dev Narayan Mahato (65) of Kanchanrup Municipality-8, a customer at the modest tea-shop built out of straw, said District Police Office, Saptari.

Owner of the tea-shop Asarfi Mandal (70) and another customer Surat Lal Mahato of Kanchanrup-9 have been seriously injured in the incident. They are undergoing treatment at Biratnagar-based Golden Hospital.

Likewise, passengers of the bus -- Kul Bahadur Mahat of Morang, Purna Bahadur Lawati of Panchthar, Sampurna Khadka of Bara, Laxmi Giri, Aayusha Giri are among the injured. According to the DPO, they are receiving treatment at a local health facility.

Drivers of the bus and the truck are under police custody for further investigation.