Kathmandu : A bus carrying Indian pilgrims fell into a gorge in Gorkha district of Nepal’s Gandaki Province on Saturday night, killing 7 people and injuring 7 others. The passengers were returning from a visit to Manakamana Temple.
According to the police, a microbus transporting the devotees slipped off the road and fell into a 200-foot-deep gorge while returning from the temple.
The 7 injured passengers have been admitted to Chitwan Medical College in Bharatpur for treatment. Police stated that more than a dozen passengers were on the bus.
Authorities said the bus was heading from Manakamana Temple toward the Ambukhaireni area of Tanahun district. Rescue operations continued late into the night. Police are also investigating other possible causes of the accident.
Suraj Aryal, head of the Gorkha District Traffic Police Office, confirmed that the 7 deceased included 2 women and 5 men, all Indian citizens.
The district police chief, Bharat Bahadur BK, identified the deceased as: Muthu Kumar (58), Anamalik (58), Meenakshi (59), Shivgami (53), Vijayal (57), Meena (58), and Tamilarasi (60).
According to The Himalayan Times, the electric bus driver survived, while his assistant was injured in the accident.