At least 17 people have died and 20 others injured in a bus accident at Lapang in Marpak-6 of Dhading district on Tuesday, local police said.

The ill-fated passenger bus (Ba 4 Kha 3318) was heading for Marpak from the district headquarters, Dhadingbeshi.

Police Inspector Bhim Bhattarai confirmed 17 bodies—10 male, 4 female—have been retrieved from the accident site. Six of the injured are said to be critical and they have been airlifted by helicopter to the Capital for treatment, Bhattarai said.

Though the exact reason for the crash has not been known, police have suspected that the accident could be the result of overloaded bus and steep graveled road.

The other injured passengers have been rushed to nearby hospitals.