Nine people were killed and over a dozen injured when a passenger bus met with an accident at Parewadin-5 in Dhankuta district on Thursday.

The ill-fated bus (Ba 2 Kha 3366) bound for Dharan from Basantapur, Terhathum district, drove off the road and fell some 200 meters down nearby Chiduwa bazaar. Nine bodies have been found from the accident side, local teacher Dipesh Khadka informed. The security personnel have been engaged in rescue operation.

CPN (Maoist Centre) Dhankuta Chairman and former Minister of State for Finance Hari Raj Khewa was seriously injured in the accident.

The area is engulfed in mist and it has been raining.

SP at District Police Office Bibhut Raj Pandey said his team is heading towards the accident site.