The bus (Ko. 1 Kha 1877), which was heading for Kakadvitta of Jhapa from Dharan, overturned along the the East-West highway in Itahari-4 when the driver Maheshwor Koirala suddenly applied the brake.[break]
Talking to Republica after the accident, Koirala said the bus overturned as he had to apply the brake suddenly to avoid hitting cycle riders. "Had I not applied the brake suddenly, I would have overrun a cycle rider, who was taking his son to school," said Koirala. "As I saved their lives, I lost my own dear ones."
Jayshwor Koirala, 28, a resident of Dharan-8, and his nephew Ishwor Luintel, who were travelling by hanging from the door of the bus, were killed in the accident.
Jayshwor, Maheshwor´s brother, was working as bus conductor. Ishwor was also learning from Jayshwor to work as conductor.
Rabi Lama, an eye-witness to the accident, said the cycle rider had crossed the road suddenly, forcing the bus driver to put the brake.
The injured have been identified as Bina Magar, 28, Dhan Manya Dhakal, 36, Narbada Devi Dhakal, 78, Pabitra Timsina, 48, Saurabh Shrestha, 8, Hari Shrestha, 52, Lilam Kafle, 44, Mohan Shrestha, 56, Birkha Limbu, 27, Buddhi Maya Khadka, 30, and Pabitra Shrestha, 39, Govinda Shrestha, 44, Narmaya Bhandari, 51, Binod Basnet, 20, Ramesh Bhandari, 53, Gyan Bahadur Thapa, 44, Jyoti Rai, 8 and Raj Kumar Rai, 31. Most of the injured are from Itahari and Hansposa of Sunsari.
Some of the injured, whose condition is still critical, are undergoing treatment at Neuro Hospital, Biratnagar. The police have detained the bus driver for investigation. The police are yet to ascertain the name of the cycle rider, whose reckless road crossing led to the accident.
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