Jajarkot, March 10

Residents of Jajarkot have sought a high-level investigation into yesterday's tragic bus accident that claimed 26 lives.

An all-party meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief District Officer Krishnachandra Poudel asked the government to set up a high-level probe committee to investigate the cause behind the accident.

"As accidents have been occurring here frequently, causing the loss of many precious lives, today's meeting sought an investigation to figure out the causes of such accidents which will help minimise such tragedies in future," said CDO Poudel, adding that the meeting also took other decisions.

"Among other things, we've decided that the transportation committee and the bus owner must pay cash relief of Rs 5 lakh and funeral expenses of Rs 25,000 each to the victims' families within three days of the accident," he said.

In order to investigate the incident at the local level, a five-member committee led by civil society leader Rajendra Bikram Shah has been formed. Today's meeting also decided to mark Falgun 27 (March 10) as a mourning day each year, in commemoration of the deceased of the accident.

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