GAIGHAT: Four persons have died and four others have sustained serious injuries after the jeep they were travelling on veered off the road in Udayapurgadhi Rural Municipality-3 of Udayapur district today morning.

According to police, three persons -- Tik Narayan Shrestha, 61, of Udayapurgadhi-3, currently residing in Morang, Dhak Bahadur Magar, 47, of Tamdanda, and Min Narayan Shrestha, 47 -- died on the spot while Tikaram Shrestha, 35, also residing in Morang, died just after reaching Katari Hospital, confirmed Superintendent of Police Bir Bahadur Budha Magar of District Police Office, Udayapur.

Police said, critically injured Laxmi Prasad Rai, 55, of Morang, Pawan Rai, 28, driver of the vehicle Bhupal Rai, 45, and Aashish Limbu, 25, all from Sikkim have been taken to Biratnagar-based Nobel Hospital for treatment.

A team of police from Udayapurgadhi Police Post and Area Police Office had reached the site after locals informed them about the accident.

The incident site lies north-west of Udayapur's administrative centre Gaighat.

The accident took place at around 7:30 am when the Bolero jeep with Indian registration (HK 01 PB 3068), en route to Katari from Taamdanda, fell about 200 metres below the road at Jaruwa in the rural municipality.

(Updated at 4:00 pm)

Three dead, five hurt as vehicle plunges 100m in Udayapur

GAIGHAT: As many as three persons died and five others sustained injuries when a four-wheeler vehicle they were travelling on veered off the road in Udayapurgadhi Rural Municipality-3 of Udayapur district today morning.

The deceased have been identified as Dhak Bahadur Magar (50), Chet Bahadur Shrestha (60) and Min Bahadur Shrestha (36), all residents of Warre in Udayapurgadhi-3.

The injured are yet to be identified.

According to ward chair of the rural municipality, Manoj Karki, a Bolero vehicle with the Indian registration number (HK 01 PB 3068) fell about 100 metres below the road, killing three persons on the spot and injuring five others, at Tama Danda, at around 7:30 am today. The vehicle driver is said to be unharmed in the incident.

Ward chair Karki presumed that the vehicle might have swerved over the road at a turn in the hilly unpaved road.

Locals informed that residents of Mahuli in Saptari district had come to see their relatives in Udayapurgadhi on the vehicle two days ago.

A team of security personnel deployed from Udayapurgadhi-based police post has been carrying out onsite inspection.

(Published at 11:45 am)