Irate locals throw driver into Bheri over child's death

SURKHET, Sept 14: Locals thrashed a man and threw him into the Bheri river after the bus he was driving ran over a child at Rakam, Surkhet, killing her on the spot. Wakil Budhathoki, the bus driver, who was thrown into the river Monday evening, remains untraced thus far.



Police said the bus (Na 3 Kha 6651) ran over three-year-old Indira BC Sunday afternoon killing her on the spot. After the incident, the next of kin of the victim and the Bheri-Rapti Bus Operators Committee reached an agreement to provide compensation to the bereaved family. Irate locals, however, continued to bash the driver even after the deal was struck. [break]



Meanwhile, Surkhet´s Superintendent of Police Raju Manandhar said he received several conflicting versions of the incident. However, he confirmed that the driver is missing.



"Some say he was thrown into the river after he was beaten up; others say he jumped into the river," Manandhar said, adding, "We are trying to ascertain the truth."



Police have detained three suspected locals for their alleged involvement in the incident. Manandhar, meanwhile, quoted the driver´s helper as saying that he saw the driver being swept by the river.

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