GAIGHAT: As many as five persons died while three others sustained injuries after the jeep they were travelling on fell below the road along the Siddhicharan Highway in Katari Municipality-14 of Udayapur district on Sunday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Ram Bahadur Sarki (43), Khadga Bahadur Sarki (40), Nari Maya Sarki (35) and Karna Bahadur Sarki (26), both of Manebhanjyang Rural Municipality-9 in Okhaldunga district and Mahesh Bahadur BK (30) of Sirise in Katari-8. The injured are driver Pawan Khadka (28) of Trigamba Municipality-4 of Rupandehi and passengers Kumari Sarki (28) and Kalpana Sarki(22), both of Manebhanjyang-9.
According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhim Bahadur Dahal at Okhaldhunga District Police Office, the incident occurred when the jeep (Ba 20 Cha 7171) en route from Bhairahawa to Okhaldhunga, skidded off the road and fell some 900 metres below in Bhadaure at 1:00 am today, killing five on the spot while critically injuring three others.
The injured were rushed to Katari Hospital for treatment from where Pawan and Kalpana have been referred to Biratnagar-based Neuro Hospital for further treatment.
Police after the preliminary investigation are suspecting that the incident might have occurred due to brake failure.
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