Among the injured passengers who are undergoing treatment in Biratnagar, an elderly passenger is reported to be in critical condition. According to the police, the Tata Sumo jeep (NA 1 Ja 176) plunged 500 down the road in Sirise-7, Patanabhanjyang. [break]
The deceased have been identified as Sarita Ranamagar, 24, of Dharan Municipality-12, Budhichandra Rai, 71, and Tirtha Bahadur Rai, 67, of Necha-8 in Solukhumbu and Bal Kumar Khatri, 31, of Khotang Baksila-4.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Kishan Singh Thapa informed that some of the passengers died on the spot and some died on the way to the hospital.
One child injured in the incident has been referred to Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar while two more people have been sent to B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) for the further treatment.
Quoting the eyewitnesses, police informed that the jeep´s engine suddenly failed while it was going uphill and subsequently skidded off the road at around 8 pm on Sunday.
The team from Nepal police and Armed Police force had reached the accident spot, which is 25 kilometers from Katari, a town in the district. Driver Nawaraj Timsina, of Katari Municipality-5, who fled after the accident, is still out of contact.
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