As many as six died leaving 17 injured after a passenger bus fell off a cliff in Palpa on Sunday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Janak Bahadur Shahi of the District Police Office in Palpa informed that the passenger bus en route to Butwal from Majuwa in Gulmi swerved off the road and fell some 300 metres down a cliff at Ribdikot Rural Municipality.

“At least six casualties have been reported so far with 17 others injured,” said Shahi. “The victims are yet to be identified.”

Shahi said three male and three female passengers were among the deceased and that the number of casualties could increase.

Police personnel from Argali and Harthok and locals are conducting the rescue of the injured passengers.

According to an injured passenger, the bus tumbled down the cliff as it was letting another bus overtake it at Laghuwa.