Two people were killed and three others seriously injured when an auto-rickshaw plunged off a road in Maluwa, Nalgad Municipality-8, in Jajarkot district on Saturday.

The accident occurred at around 11:15am on the Jajarkot-Dolpa section of the Bheri Corridor road. The vehicle went out of control and fell about 60 to 65 metres down the slope, police said.

The auto-rickshaw was travelling from Radi in Aathbiskot Municipality-11, Rukum West, to Tallubagar in Nalgad Municipality-12, Jajarkot.

The deceased were identified as Santosh BK, 17, and Ramesh BK, 55, both residents of Gharanga in Nalgad Municipality-9. They died while receiving treatment at Dalli Municipal Hospital, said Buddhi Sagar Puri, deputy superintendent of police at the District Police Office in Jajarkot.

The injured were identified as Prem Pariyar, 35, of Dandagaun in Nalgad-2; Gopal Pariyar, 28, of Kadke in Nalgad-3; and the driver, Karan Pariyar, 22, of Chaur in Aathbiskot Municipality-11, Rukum West.

All three were seriously injured and have been referred to Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj for treatment.