The identities of those killed in a jeep crash at Jaljala in Rolpa on Thursday have yet to be established, police said.

The jeep carrying pilgrims from Rukumkot in Rukum East to Jaljala met with an accident on Thursday, leaving 20 people dead. One injured has been discharged from the Rukum East District Hospital, said Police Inspector Sunil Thapa Nepali, information officer at the District Police Office, Rolpa.

According to police, the deceased include four children, four men and 12 women, but identification has not been possible so far.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Rolpa Ghanshyam Gautam, who is at the site, said it has taken time to retrieve the bodies due to the difficult terrain.

“The jeep fell around 800 metres off the road. The bodies are in a gorge, making retrieval difficult. Security personnel are cutting a path, after which ropes will be used to bring the bodies up,” Gautam said.

He said other jeeps travelling ahead and behind were carrying locals from the same village, but identification has been delayed as the bodies have not yet been brought to the road.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Khumananda Pandey, chief of the District Police Office, Rukum East, said two to three vehicles had travelled from Rukumkot to Jaljala, making it unclear who was on which vehicle.

“We are coordinating with Rolpa police, but the identities of the deceased are yet to be confirmed,” Pandey said. “We are also trying to reach families of those who had travelled to Jaljala.”