A bus jam-packed with Hindu devotees overturned and fell into a pond at Inarwa along the Rajbiraj-Hanumannagar road stretch in Saptari district on Friday night, killing five persons and injuring 48 others. Fourteen passengers sustained serious injuries in the crash, said police.

The residents of wards 3, 4 and 5 of Dakneshwori Municipality had reserved the bus (Ko 1 Kha 2799) to go on a pilgrimage of Baraha Chhetra in Sunsari district. The incident occurred at around 7:45pm while they were returning home.  

Police identified the deceased as Dinesh Rajak and his wife Bauki Devi of Dakneshwori-4, Bechani Devi Yadav, Sikila Devi Sah and Thakani Devi Sah of Dakneshwori-5. Three critically injured passengers were taken to Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar while 11 others were referred to Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.

Thirty-four others are receiving treatment at Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital in Rajbiraj. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bhabesh Rimal, there were 70 people on the 35-seater vehicle when the accident took place.

“The speeding bus swerved off the road and overturned on the wrong side of the road while attempting to overtake a truck,” said DSP Rimal.

The bus driver is at large.

The Province 2 government has announced to provide Rs 100,000 each to the family of those killed in the accident.

In a separate incident, two men died when a bus hit a motorbike at Gaindakot along the East-West Highway in East Nawalparasi on Saturday. Police said Anil Poudel, 20, and Krishna Sapkota, 19, of Gaindakot died in the incident.