At least twelve individuals lost their lives when a passenger bus en route from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu met with a tragic accident, plunging into the Rapti river at Bhaluwang in Dang.
The horrifying incident occurred around 10:30 pm on Friday night involving the Mountain Air New bus (Bhe.1 Ka 3912).
As per the latest information from Superintendent of Police of Dang, Ram Bahadur KC, only four passengers have been identified so far. The remaining victims’ identities are yet to be established. Among the identified deceased are Kusum Basnet (60), Saurabh Bista (39), Taranath Pandey (65), and Indian citizen Mune (31).
The injured are currently receiving medical attention at various hospitals. Eight of them are undergoing treatment at the Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital in Kohalpur, Banke, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Sundar Tiwari in Kohalpur.
Other injured individuals are being treated at Bhaluwang and Lamahi Hospital.
The ill-fated bus, operated by Namaste Transport, had Lal Bahadur Nepali (28), a resident of Salyan, as its driver.
He has been taken into custody by the police for necessary legal actions.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, and authorities are working diligently to identify the remaining victims and provide support to the injured.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, and authorities are urging caution on the roads, emphasizing the importance of safety measures to prevent such devastating accidents in the future.