At least 20 persons were killed when a Kathmandu-bound passenger bus plunged some 300 meters down the road at Kavrepani Bhir in Khotang district on Tuesday morning.

Police personne recovered at least 20 bodies from the accident site at Barkhetar in Mahadibhesan VDC of Khotang. The bus (Ba 2 Kha 6376) had left for Kathmandu from the district at around 5 this morning.

Twenty-six others have been injured in the accident. The exact number of passengers travelling on the ill-fated bus has not been known.

Police have been investigating to find the cause of the accident. Injured passengers are being rescued by a joint team of police and locals.