A person died and 16 others were injured when a vehicle carrying pilgrims met with an accident at Jayaram in Tuwachug Municipality-1, Halesi, Khotang on Monday. 

DSP Santosh Shrestha of the Traffic Police Office said that the identity of the deceased has not been ascertained yet.

Among the injured, three are in critical condition.

The incident occurred when the vehicle (Province 2-01-001 Ja 0053) returning from Halesi, a famous religious pilgrimage site in Khotang, fell some 200 meters down the road this morning.

Police said that they are searching for the driver who fled the scene after the accident.