GULMI: Six persons died while two others sustained injuries after the jeep they were travelling on fell below the road in Isma Rural Municipality of Gulmi district this morning.

The deceased have been identified as Dambar Bahadur Dhital, 65, Chitra Bahadur Darlami, 33, Pharsuram Thapa, and Dhan Bahadur Achhami of Isma-4, Basanta Darlami, 30, and Sundari Thapa, 80, of Malika Rural Municipality-5, according to the District Police Office.

The incident occurred when the jeep (Lu 1 Ja 1166) en route to Tamghas skidded off the road and plunged some 400 metres below, killing five on the spot and injuring three, informed Superintendent of Police (SP) Praveen Lal Shrestha. One of the critically injured was rushed to the hospital but he breathed his last on the way there.

Meanwhile, Saraswoti Darlami, 28, and Kamal Dhitang, 26, of Isma-4 have been injured in the accident and they are receiving treatment at Gulmi Hospital, police said.

Police, after the preliminary investigation, suspect that the incident might have been caused due to brake failure.

There were 10 passengers in the vehicle at the time of the incident.