CHAUTARA, SEP 06 -
Five persons were killed and at least 20 others went missing when a passenger bus veered off the road and plunged into the Bhote Koshi river at the Dhungakhani area of Gati VDC in Sindhupalchowk district on Monday.

Police Inspector Harembha Sharma said that the dead have been identified as Dhan Bahadur Shrestha of Bahrabise, Sindhupalchowk; Kanchhi Shrestha of Dhuskun, Sindhupalchowk; Chandramaya Lama of Jaisithok, Kavre and Thilen Sherpa and Pasang Sherpa of Marmin, Kavre.

The actual figure of those missing was unclear as the bus conductor, who survived the accident, claimed there were only 17 passengers on board the bus. The police, however, reported having received claims from family members of 14 persons who were supposedly on the ill-fated bus.        

Police said the bus under the banner of Bahrabise Yatayat had left Daklang for Barhabise when it met with the accident. The bus was supposed to go to Tatopani, but had returned from Daklang due to the bad condition of the road. As the vehicle reached Dhungakhani, the bus plummeted some 10 metres down the road into the swollen river.

There were four survivors—bus driver Bikram Shakya, conductor Buddha Shakya, Gobinda Chalisey and Tanka Prasad Dahal. They sustained minor injuries and are now out of danger. Driver Shakya claimed that the accident occurred when he lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid a pothole on the road. Passenger Chalisey, however, said that the accident occurred due to overspeeding.

Security personnel from the Nepal Army, Police and Armed Police

Force were deployed at the site of the accident to carry out a rescue

and search mission. Locals also assisted in the task.

Police said incessant rainfall hampered the rescue mission and there was a very little hope of finding the missing victims alive.

Police listed the names of some of the missing victims as Ramchandra Nepali, Badri Nepali, Krishna Nepal, Hemraj Parajuli, Ramchandra Acharya, Balaram Thapa, Tshiring Sherpa, Sitaram Thapa, Umesh Karki, Dhanmati Tamang and Kale Tamang.

Posted on: 2010-09-07 08:08

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