- आइतबार, ८ असार, २०८२
Birendranagar, 8 Dec- The death toll in the bus accident that took place on the Karnali Highway at Kalokhola, Pokharikanda of Surkhet district Sunday evening has reached 18.
As many as 49 people sustained injuries in the accident involving the passenger bus (Na 4 Kha 6857) which was heading towards Tikapur, Kailali from Kalikot. The accident occurred at at the section of the highway 42 kilometres from Birendranagar.
The injured are undergoing treatment at the Mid-west Regional Hospital. They were rescued by an ambulance that was dispatched from Birendranagar, Surkhet.
A police team mobilized from the Kunathari Police Check Post carried out the rescue works, Deputy Superintendent of Police Nareshman Shrestha at the Regional Police Office stated. He said the accident might have occurred due to over-loading.
Ten among the injured have been rushed to Nepalgunj for treatment, according to the District Police Office, Surkhet. Most of the victims are from Bajura district.
According to the injured passengers the bus helper was driving the bus and the accident happened as it was carrying more people than its capacity.
Neem Karki, one of the injured, said that 33 people from Bajura were travelling on a single ticket. They were all bound to India. He said the bus veered off the road after the driver gave the wheel to the helper. The bus had fallen some 200 metres from the road.
It is said more than 67 people were travelling in the bus with a seating capacity of only 33, police said.
