Bir Bahadur Katawal, 60, Dambar Kumari Karki, 45, Ratna Bahadur Bista, 55, Gita Karki, 48, and Ghanashyam Phuyal, 65, of Madhesa-5; Rajiya Marik, 40, of Bhadgaun Sinuwari, microbus driver Durga Khatri, originally from Bhojpur and residing in Jhumka, and an unidentified man of Madhesi origin died when a passenger bus (Na 3 Kha 3141) heading to Gaighat from Biratnagar collided with a microbus (Ko 1 Ja 930) at around 10 in the morning.[break]
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Yamuna Rajak, all the eight deceased were traveling in the microbus, with four dying on the spot and the rest while undergoing treatment. Raj Kumar Marik of Inaruwa and Mana Maya Katawal of Madhesa are in critical condition and undergoing treatment at the Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar.
According to Sanjay Sah of Itahari who was traveling in the bus, the accident occurred when the speeding microbus tried to avoid a cycle that suddenly crossed the highway. Police opined that the bus driver could have averted the accident with better control of his bus.
Village in shock after death of five
The village of Madhesa is shocked after the sudden death of five persons from the village. Most of the households in Madhesa-5 were invited to a house-warming ritual in Kanchanbari, Biratnagar by Keshav Thapa who had migrated to Biratnagar from Madhesa a few years ago. A few villagers boarded the microbus to go to Biratnagar but the vehicle met with the accident just 700 meters ahead.
"They had bade goodbye just two minutes before and then we heard about their sorry fate," rued Lalit Bahadur Ghimire, 60, of the village calling it the saddest day of his life. "They would have been alive had they left just a few moments later."
Around 15 persons from Inaruwa had also boarded a bus, that had left Madhesa just before the microbus, to attend the function at Thapa´s residence in Biratnagar.
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