Seven people died and about 20 others were injured, some critically, in two separate road accidents in Sindhuli on Wednesday night and Thursday.

A passenger jeep veered off the road and plunged 200 metres at Chandibhanjyang of Phikkal Rural Municipality-2, killing five persons and injuring seven others.   

According to the District Police Office, the Mahindra Bolero (Ba 15 Cha 9422) was heading to Khangsang from Mahadevdanda. The jeep was carrying local people to a health camp organised in Khangsang. There were 12 people on board when the crash occurred.

Police identified the deceased as Tilmaya BK, 55, Kunman Tamang, 65, Laxmi BK, 40, and Anita Mahat, 25, of Phikkal-2, and Shanti Maya Shrestha, 35, of Phikkal-3.

Jeep driver, Man Bahadur Sunuwar, and passengers Ganga Maya BK and Deepak Shrestha sustained serious injuries and were taken to Dhulikhel Hospital in Kavre district for treatment. Four other passengers sustained minor injuries, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Lok Darshan Thapa.

Parbati Sunuwar, the deputy chief of Phikkal Rural Municipality, said the jeep, which was parked in a sharp bend, suddenly moved and veered off the road. According to eyewitnesses, the driver parked the vehicle on the side of the road and got off for a while. He was seen rushing towards the vehicle and attempted to take control of it.

Similarly, in another accident at Kamerephant of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-2, along the BP Highway, on Wednesday, two people died and more than a dozen were injured when a tipper truck carrying a marriage procession met with an accident. The tipper (Ba 4 Kha 9438) was heading to Timal of Kavre from Khadadevi of Ramechhap carrying wedding attendants.

The deceased have been identified as Krishna Maya Majhi, 22, and Chunpai Lama, 16, of Timal-9. Both of them succumbed to injuries during the course of treatment at Dhulikhel Hospital. Nine of the critically injured were taken to Trauma Centre of Bir Hospital in the Capital, while others are receiving treatment in Dhulikhel, said police. Tipper driver Khadak Majhi was taken into custody for investigation.