Seven people died and two others were injured in a jeep accident at Rumale in Swargadwari Municipality-3, Pyuthan on Friday morning.

The vehicle (Ba 1 Cha 1561), carrying pilgrims to Swargadwari from Bhingri, tipped over and fell some 700 meters from the road, said police. Chief District Officer (CDO) Yadunath Paudel said Dinesh Basnet, 45, of Talsikhel, Lalitpur, his wife Padma Basnet, 40, and their daughters Dikshya, 22, and Diya, 13 died in the accident. The other deceased are Ammika Gajurel, 42; Shristi Baral, 24; Sunita Shrestha, 52, of Lalitpur, said CDO Paudel. Two injured Saroj Ghale, 21, and Sushila Baral also from Lalitpur are receiving treatment at Lumbini Zonal Hospital in Butwal. The pilgrims had reserved the vehicle from Lalitpur, police said.

Nine people, including the diver, were in the jeep. Sub-Inspector Tilak Bhatta of the Area Police Office in Swargadwari said a police team rescued the driver and other injured from the accident site. “It’s the same area where a landslide had occurred in the last monsoon,” said Bhatta.

Swargadwari temple is around a half an hour drive from the incident site. The road section from Bhingri to Swargadwari is being upgraded. The road between Bhingri to Swargadwari is still unpaved and punctuated with high-risk spots.