Five persons, including former CPN-UML’s minister Kripashur Sherpa, were injured in a road accident in Sindhuli district. The condition of three of them is critical, according to the District Police Office, Sindhuli.

The Land Cruiser the passengers were travelling in met with an accident on its way to Sunsari of Province 1 from Kathmandu along the Madan Bhandari Highway at Chandanpur in Kamalamai Municipality Ward No. 14 of Sindhuli.

UML politburo member Gokul Gharti, former minister Sherpa, Pemba Gurung, Devraj Rai and Ganesh Thapa were injured in the accident. Among the injured, Gurung, Rai and Thapa are in critical condition, said SP Kandel.

Four of the injured have been airlifted to Kathmandu Trauma Centre by helicopter, said SP Bimal Raj Kandel of Sindhuli Police.

The accident took place while they were going to attend an extended meeting of the UML affiliated Loktantrik Aadibasi Janajati Mahasangh Province No. 1.

The driver of the vehicle has been taken into custody by the police, said Kandel.

Correction: This article has been updated. The earlier version identified Sherpa as former UML leader. Sherpa is a former UML minister.