At least 17 persons died when a bus met with an accident at Chalan Ganesthan in Bethanchok Rural Municipality-4 of Kavre district on Tuesday. The bus (Ba 3 Kha 4385) was returning from Chyalte, Bethanchok-5 when the tragedy occurred at around 6:30 pm yesterday. SP Chakra Raj Joshi of the District Police Office, Kavre said that 13 died on the spot and four breathed their last during the course of treatment.

The deceased have been identified as bus driver Santosh Timilsina of Mahankal, Lalitpur, Ram Kumar Tamang of Banepa Municipality-14, Nirmala Tamang, Yogesh Tamang, Ankur Tamang, his wife Hema Tamang, Pushkar Tamang, Kopila Tamang, Shreya Tamang of Banepa Municipality-11, Jeli Tamang of Mandan Deupur-1, Buddha Tamang of Dhulikhel Municipality-11, Manju Tamang of Bethanchok-5 and Gita Shrestha of Banepa-14.

SP Joshi said that the identities of four others are yet to be ascertained. A three-year-old child and five-year-old Renjen Tamang, who were critically injured in the accident, have been referred to the Annapurna Hospital in Kathmandu and Yogesh Tamang (13) has been taken to the Balmaitri Hospital for treatment, police said. Four others, who were also seriously injured in the incident, are undergoing treatment in Kathmandu and those who sustained minor injuries are receiving treatment in Banepa and Dhulikhel. Local Dib Man Lama said that the incident occurred due to over speeding. Police said that they are looking into the case.