DHADING: At least eight persons have lost their lives and 29 others have sustained injuries as the passenger bus they were travelling on skidded off the road and plunged 30 metres down the road into Trishuli River in Gajuri Rural Municipality-6 on Sunday.

District Police Office, Dhading, identified the deceased as Bishal Giri (20) of Kanyam in Ilam, Sita Thapaliya (35) of Chandragiri Municipality, Raj Kumar Subedi (51) of Thankot in Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu, Rajan Acharya of Rorang in Benighat of Dhading district, Prakash Shrestha and Sekhar Magar.

The identities of two others are yet to be established, police said.

According to police, the incident occurred when the bus (Na 7 Kha 4387) en route from Kakarvitta to Kathmandu fell below Prithvi Highway into the river near Banchhetar at 6:00 am this morning.

Among the injured persons, 14 are said to be in critical condition and have been referred to Kathmandu for further treatment.

Immediately after the report of the accident surfaced, Chief District Officer Bhagirath Pandey, District Police Chief and Superintendent of Police (SP) Raj Kumar Baidwar and personnel from Adamghat-based Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, Nepal Army, Highway rescuers, Red Cross, and locals started the rescue operations.

Meanwhile, other persons are undergoing treatment at local health facilities based in Gajuri, Aadamghat and Galchi in the district.