At least eight people died and 25 others were injured, some critically, when a passenger bus crashed in Nisikhola Rural Municipality-6 of Baglung district on Monday.

The bus, en route to Kathmandu from Rukum West, veered off the road and plunged approximately 150 metres down at Jaulepani along the Mid-Hill Highway around 5:20 pm.

According to Police Inspector Hari Bhattarai of Rukum East, seven people died on the spot while one died while being rushed to Burtibang. "Among the deceased, five are male and three female. The deceased are yet to be identified," said Bhattarai. Reports say there were 33 people on board the bus when the fatal crash occurred.

A police team, under the leadership of Inspector Raj Kumar BK from the Burtibang Area Police Office, conducted the initial rescue operation and took seven injured individuals to the primary health centre at Burtibang. The rescue work was quite difficult as the bus plunged into a gorge, BK said.

Security personnel of the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force also reached the incident site for the rescue operation.

Seven of the bodies were taken to Rukum West for postmortem examination. The injured are receiving treatment at the primary health centre in Burtibang. Preparation is underway to take the critically injured victims to Pokhara for treatment, said police.

The incident site is located 130 km west of the Baglung district headquarters.

Detailed investigation into the incident is underway, said Madan KC, information officer at the District Police Office in Baglung.