At least 22 people, including three women and four Indian nationals, were killed when a passenger bus veered off a road and plunged into the Trishuli river at Chandibhanjyang-6 in Chitwan district on Friday morning in yet another major road accident in the last two weeks. Four others have gone missing.

On August 15, a 35-seater bus carrying around 90 passengers veered off the road at Birtadeurali VDC in Kavre, killing 27 and injuring 43 others. 

According to Chitwan District Police Office, 21 people died on the spot and one person succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment. 

The bus (Ga 1 Kha 3709) en route from Rautahat to Pokhara plunged 200 meters down the road into the Trishuli river at Chandibhanjyang-6, Kalikhola, along the Muglin- Narayangadh road section at around 3:30 am, SP Basanta Kunwar said. 

Security personnel recovered the bodies from the river and sent to Bharatpur Hospital for post-mortem.  

Injured passenger Rajesh Gupta of Sitamadhi, India said all the passengers were sleeping when the accident occurred. 

“I lost my consciousness after the bus fell into the river,” said Gupta. 

Forty-two people, including the driver and his helper, were on board the bus.

Police said 16 seriously injured passengers are receiving medical treatment at Chitwan Medical College and College of Medical Science in the district. 

 “Bodies were scattered at the incident site,” said Inspector Tula Chaudhary of the Armed Police Force. 

Security personnel have been searching for the missing people. 

Parbati Bista, a local shopkeeper in the area, said, “This part of the road is considered one of the most accident prone areas along the Muglin- Narayangadh stretch.” 

Sushanta Shreebastab of Gaur, who was injured in the accident, said the driver had fallen asleep. 

Deceased (21 identified)

Chitranjan Yadav, 36    Mudwalawa-3, Rautahat

Rajesh Prasad Yadav, 33    Mudwalawa-3, Rautahat

Pramod Ram, 24    Mahammadpur-8, Rautahat

Rakesh Yadav, 30    Laukaha, Rautahat

Brij Kishor Kusuwaha, 35    Katahariya-9, Rautahat

Ganesh Kumar Sah, 25    Basatpur-1, Rautahat

Kameshwor Prasad Sah, 25    Rajpurtulsi-3, Rautahat

Chitra Bahadur Bohara, 40    Bhalli Danda, Kaski

Shekhsahajit Alam, 26    Garuda-14, Rautahat

Suchindra Prasad Sah, 36    Laukaha-2, Rautahat

Jokhu Sah    Gaur -12, Rautahat

Jogendra Giri, 65    Inaruwa-7, Rautahat

Sandhya Srivastav, 31    Gaur -13, Rautahat

Ganesh Kumar Sah, 34    Jhunkhunuwa VDC-3, Rautahat

Tulasa Kumari Singh, 41    Banjaraha VDC-3, Rautahat

Sandeep Bhagat, 11    East Champaran, India

Lokraj Poudel (bus driver), 31    Lekhanath, Kaski

Thekan Thakur, 36    East Champaran, India

Shankar Thakur,  37    East Champaran, India

Ram Sagar Bhagat, 40    East Champaran, India

Nathuni Chaudhary, 32    East Champaran, India

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