LAHAN, Aug 4: A woman was killed and 17 others were injured when a microbus carrying pilgrims returning from the religious site of Halesi in Khotang met with an accident early Monday morning.
According to DSP Santosh Shrestha, acting chief of the Koshi Province Traffic Police, the deceased has been identified as Mamata Devi Yadav, aged approximately 25 to 30, a resident of Naraha Rural Municipality–3 in Siraha district. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
The accident occurred around 8 AM when the microbus (Province 2–01–001 J 0053) fell some 200 meters off the road near Daunthekhola along the Jayaramghat–Halesi section of the Mid-Hill Highway. The vehicle, returning from Halesi Tuwachung Municipality–1, was carrying 18 pilgrims when it veered off the road.
Microbus carrying pilgrims from Halesi crashes: 1 dead, 14 inju...
Police from the Jayaramghat temporary outpost, Chyasmitar police station and Halesi Area Police Office were immediately dispatched to the scene for rescue operations. A total of 15 police personnel, including a team led by Inspector Hemanta Rai, were involved in the rescue.
Seven passengers are undergoing treatment at Khotang Hospital. Among them are Ranjit Yadav, 39, of Naraha–5, Siraha, who suffered minor injuries to his right hand; Kusmabati Yadav, 70, who sustained a head injury; Laxmi Sharma, 32, and Shila Sharma, 37, both of whom are from Lahan; Nadin Sharma, 32, Mina Kumari Sharma and Dhaneshwar Yadav, 57, also from the same area.
Ten others who sustained serious injuries have been referred to Kathmandu for advanced treatment. They include Raju Yadav, 70, of Lahan–2, with injuries to his head, chest and hand; the wife of Ramsharan Thakur, who suffered serious leg, eye, and nose injuries and is reportedly unconscious; Sabita Kumari Yadav, 32; Duryodhan Yadav, around 79; Mithila Kumari Yadav, 40; Poonam Yadav, 30; Jhalu Devi Yadav; Shivam Sharma, 10; and Dipendra Yadav.
The microbus driver, identified as Ramnath Sah of Siraha Municipality–3, aged about 27 to 28, fled the scene after the accident. Police have launched a manhunt to locate him
