Six Indian pilgrims among seven people killed in Nepal bus accident

Kathmandu: Six Indian pilgrims were among seven people killed when the bus they were travelling in plunged some 50 metres from a mountain road in Nepal's Madhesh province, a media report said on Thursday.

The accident happened in the early hours of Thursday in the province's Bara district when the bus carrying pilgrims from Rajasthan overturned and fell some 50 metres down the road at a riverbank south of Churiamai Temple at Simara Sub-Metropolitan City, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

Apart from the six Indians, one Nepalese citizen was also killed in the accident which also injured 19 others.

"The bus carrying six Indian pilgrims overturned and fell down the road at a river bank. A total of 26 passengers were on board and in the accident one Nepalese was also killed. The family of the deceased have been informed," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Pradeep Bahadur Chhetri.

Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati, who is also the chief of the Bara district police office said that they have detained three people, including the bus driver Jilami Khan.

"The driver and the co-workers have also sustained injuries during the accident and were detained following treatment," he was quoted as saying in the report.

The police said that all those injured were undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Hetauda of adjacent Makwanpur district.

Road accidents in Nepal are quite common due to the poor road infrastructure across the country, which majorly comprises mountainous terrain.

On Wednesday, a passenger bus skidded off the main highway and plunged into a swollen river in Nepal's Bagmati province, killing at least eight people and leaving at least 15 others injured.

The accident happened when the bus en route to the scenic city of Pokhara from Kathmandu veered off and fell into the Trishuli River at Chalise in Dhading district.