Five people died and nine others injured when a jeep carrying pilgrims met with an accident in the wee hours of Friday morning at Durchhim VDC-6 of Khotang district.

The pilgrims were returning after paying homage to Halesi Mahadev Temple in the district on the occasion of Bala Chaturdashi. The jeep (Me 1 Ja 732) plunged some two hundred meters down the road at around 4:30 this morning.

The injured are said to be critical and have been undergoing treatment at Halesi health post, Chief District Officer of Khotang Govinda Adhikari said.

Preparations are being made to airlift them to elsewhere for treatment.  

The deceased have not been identified.

The accident comes a day after four people died and four dozen others went missing following a bus accident in Jajarkot district.