The truck (Na 3 Kha 6092) headed for Bardiya from Birgunj and the passenger jeep (Na 1 Ja 1349) bound for Kapilvastu from Lamahi, Dang collided in dense morning fog, according to police in Dang. [break]
Those killed in the accident include Ashok Yogi, 38, of Chelahi-2, Lamahi; Bhagawata KC of Lamahi and her 8-year-old son Nirjal KC; Ek Narayan Chaudhary of Bela-2; Ishan Adhikari, 29, of Lamahi; Ravi Chaudhary, 22, of Lamahi; jeep driver Dhani Ram Chaudhary, 20, of Chelahi-9, Bangaun; Kantu Chaudhary, 38, of Lamahi; Malati Gautam, 36, of Lamahi; and Palu Gupta of Sisahaniya-4, Pipri.
Six of them died on the spot and the rest while undergoing treatment. Nirjal KC died on the spot while his mother breathed her last at hospital in Kohalpur. The jeep was carrying 17 persons including the driver and his help.
Similarly, Chameli Chaudhary, Jaya Mangal Gupta and Nanda Gupta of Sisahaniya; Hira Adhikari, mother of Ishan; and Dan Bahadur KC, Sola Chaudhary and Mangal Chaudhary of Lamahi were injured in the accident and are being treated at Kohalpur Medical College.
Dang district has been under dense fog for the past few days following rainfall last week. “The fog was very dense and the road invisible. Our jeep was going at high speed when it collided with the truck,” said Hira Adhikari, who was going to nearby Krishnanagar with neighbors for shopping.
Chief of police in Dang, Ganesh Bahadur Aiyer, said the accident occurred after the jeep turned in the wrong direction. The truck and its driver are at Area Police Office, Bhalubang.
Meanwhile, the chamber of commerce and industry in Lamahi has decided to shut down the market on Sunday to mourn the death of businessmen who were going to Krishnanagar for making purchases and constitute the majority of the casualties.
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