UDAYAPUR, Dec 10: Four persons were killed and 20 were injured in a bus accident along the Katari-Ghurmi road section in Bhadaure, Lekhani VDC-6 of Udayapur district on Friday morning. Among the injured, nine are reported to be in critical condition.

Udayapur’s Chief District Officer, Krishna Chandra Ghimire, informed, “Two passengers died on the spot while a child lost his life while being taken to the hospital.” 

The ill-fated bus (Na 4 Kha 3620), carrying mostly pilgrims from ward number 6 and 7 of Madhukatta, Saptari, was returning from Halesi Mahadev Temple in Khotang. It veered off and fell some 30 meters down the road, according to the police. The bus was carrying 42 people including the driver. 

According to eyewitnesses, the accident took place due to brake failure at a bend along the road. Rescue operation took a long time as the accident took place in a very difficult location, police said. Locals had joined hands with police in the rescue operation.

Among the deceased, Kusum Devi Ram, 33, and Saraswati Devi Ram, 60, died on the spot while 13-year-old Dinesh Ram died on the way to the hospital in Katari, according to District Police Office (DPO), Udayapur. All of them were from Madhupati VDC-6. Chakkan Ram of Madhupati died while undergoing treatment, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Nar Bahadur KC at DPO.

CDO Ghimire informed that all the nine critically injured have been referred to BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan after undergoing preliminary treatment in Katari. The bus driver Lalan Paswan, 45, of Kushwaha, Saptari district, is also among the critically injured.

Along with the driver, Pramila Ram, 31, of Gadha-6 of Siraha district; Binda Paswan, 31; Arak BK of Madhupati; and Khusi Ram, 48, Sita Das, 46, and Darban Mandal, Mauw-3, and Yogesh Ram, 21, are critically injured. Eleven of those who sustained minor injuries are being treated at a Katari hospital.

 
• udayapur
 
• four died
 
• 20 injured
 
• bus accident