Krishna Raut, 67, of Pakali-3, his wife Tara, 62, eldest son Baburam, 42, daughter-in-law Sharada, 32, daughter Kamala KC, 27, and Kamala´s daughter Sheelu KC, seven, died after the truck (Na 4 Kha 796) taking livestock feed to Birtamod, Jhapa from Narayanghat, Chitwan hit them at 5:30 in the morning even as the Rauts were waiting for Kamala and her daughter to board a bus to Kathmandu. [break]
Kamala, Sheelu and Sharada died on the spot while the rest three breathed their last at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan.
Police said the accident occurred as the driver was asleep at the wheel. “All six were apparently killed when the driver tried to take a turn after suddenly waking up from his stupor after hitting the stones piled by the roadside,” inspector Ram Dhakal said.
Truck driver Shrawan Kumar Chaudhary of Bhandara, Chitwan said the accident occurred in sleep and also due to the dense fog. “I woke up only after hearing their screams and the truck overturned as I tried to take a turn to evade them. I fled out of fear,” driver Chaudhary said.
“Fate has bade adieu to all those who had gone to see off my sister and niece,” Krishna´s younger son Sitaram said trying to hold back his tears. “How can I survive after my parents, elder brother and sister, sister-in-law and niece all perished together?” he questioned.
His 14-year-old son Shishir was the only survivor as he was pushed to the back as the truck turned toward them and managed to survive with minor injuries. He has returned home after being treated at BPKIHS.
Kamala had wished to return to Kathmandu Sunday but could not get night-bus tickets on Sunday. “The tragedy would not have happened had she got tickets for Sunday,” rued Ramesh Adhikari, a relative. Kamala had returned to her parental home 10 days ago after the Rauts had decided to lit lakhbatti [100,000 votive wicks] at Barahakshetra in the district two days ago as the family had got together for the first time in five years following the marriage of Kamala´s younger sister five years ago.
Deceased Baburam and Sitaram had been working in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for the past six years and they had not returned home at the same time despite both of them coming home in holidays every second year. Baburam was scheduled to go back to work on February 1 and Sitaram three days later.
Police have held the truck driver from Laukahi while his help Ramesh Kharel was found asleep in the truck. “I don´t remember the accident but have sketchy memory of the driver telling me to keep the truck papers safe as he was absconding,” Kharel said.
“I knew about the accident only after I came out of the capsized truck after the police woke me up,” he added.
Bhawani Tole of Pakali is in a state of mourning after the death of Raut family and the irate locals even obstructed the Sunsari-Pakali section of East-West Highway till noon.
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