Six people died and 12 others were injured after a passenger bus veered off the East-West Highway in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East) district on Saturday morning. The bus, travelling from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu, crashed at S Mode in Triveni Rural Municipality-2, Daunne, at around 4 AM.
According to Information Officer Anil Pandit of the District Police Office, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East), the district’s police administration, the bus (Province 3-01-006 Kha 1553) lost control and fell into a ditch. A total of 18 people, including the driver, were on board at the time of the accident.
Victims and injured
Five of the six deceased have been identified. They are Nirjung Khatri, 50, from Bheriganga Municipality-3, Jajarkot; Dipendra KC, 32, from Kohalpur Municipality-3, Banke; Narendra Raj Giri, 65, from Swamikartik Rural Municipality, Bajura; Ekendra Raj Regmi, 55, from Kohalpur Municipality-10, Banke; and Krish Kanojiya, 22, from Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City-7. The identity of one male, approximately 40-42 years old, remains unknown.
Among the 12 injured, one person is in serious condition and has been referred to Chitwan for further treatment. The remaining injured are receiving medical care at Madhyabindu Provincial Hospital, a provincial hospital in Danda, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East), and Bharatpur Hospital.
Investigation and public safety
The Daunne section of the East-West Highway, where the accident occurred, is known for its challenging geographical terrain and susceptibility to landslides. Road conditions, vehicle maintenance, and driver error are commonly cited as primary causes of road accidents across Nepal. Data from the Traffic Police Directorate, Nepal’s traffic police body, indicates that an average of six people die daily in road accidents nationwide.
The Daunne road section has a history of closures and disruptions. For instance, large vehicles were restricted on the Daunne road section during Dashain in Asoj 4 (BS) 2082. Furthermore, the section was closed 63 times in a single year as of Saun 4 (BS) 2082, and a road collapse due to rain caused blockages in the Butwal-Narayanghat section in Falgun 25 (BS) 2082.
Police are currently investigating the exact cause of the driver losing control. The detailed health status of all injured individuals is still pending, and there has been no announcement regarding compensation for the victims’ families.
