Five killed in jeep accident

BAGLUNG, Feb 28: Five people were killed and five injured after a jeep skidded off a narrow fair-weather road in Baglung Sunday night. The accident occurred at Dagdikhola locality along the border between Malma and Pandavkhani VDCs of Baglung, police said.



Among those dead are Harka Bahadur Pun, 44, Dipak Pun, 18, Dinesh Shrisha, 23, and Bikram Shrisha, 20, of Pandavkhani-6, and Shyam Kaucha Magar, 25, of Pandavkhani-3. Harka Bahadur was a teacher at Pandavkhani Secondary School. The others were volleyball and basketball players. [break]



The jeep´s driver Chitra Bahadur Magar, 26, and four others were injured in the accident.



The jeep (Na 1 Ja 1286) traveling from Pandavkhani VDC to Hatiya of Galkot VDC skidded off the road at 9:45 pm and fell around 200 meters below.



Police inspector Hovindra Bogati blamed the driver´s decision to operate the jeep at night for the accident. “The driver took a risk to operate the jeep at night, which seems to have led to the accident,” he said. The jeep was taking a descent along the narrow road when it skidded off.



The jeep was carrying players who were to participate in an annual function of Galkot Higher Secondary School that was to be organized at Hatiya. According to Pratikshya Pun, a local, the players had chartered the jeep and had left Sunday evening as the sports events were scheduled to start early Monday.



A police team led by inspector Sujan Khadka of Area Police Office, Harichaur, left for the accident spot to initiate rescue work immediately after being informed about the tragedy. Locals helped police in the effort. On Monday evening, the injured were taken to Baglung Hospital after primary treatment at Hatiya, and then were taken to Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara for further treatment.



The sports event was planned to mark the golden jubilee of Galkot Higher Secondary School. Residents of Pandavkhani-6 were left mourning by the accident.



The dead and the injured are members of a local cultural club. The players often participated in similar events organized in the district and came back winning the basketball and volleyball matches.



Monday´s events at the golden jubilee function were suspended by Galkot Higher Secondary School after the accident.

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