Khotang, August 4
One person died and 14 others were injured when a microbus heading to Siraha after a pilgrimage to Halesi met with an accident along the Jayaram-Halesi road section of the Mid-Hill Highway, at Kaduwa in Khotang district.
The microbus, bearing registration number Province 2-01-001, veered off the road near the Daunde Stream at around 9:00 am today.
The identities of the deceased and injured have yet to be confirmed. According to Kamal Giri, spokesperson for Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, the injured were taken to Ghurmi by ambulance. Of them, six have been referred to the National Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, while the remaining eight are receiving treatment at Janasewa Polyclinic in Ghurmi.
A total of 16 people were on board the vehicle at the time of the accident, said DSP Prateek Bista of the District Police Office, Khotang.
Eyewitnesses reported that the vehicle plunged nearly 200 metres off the road. DSP Bista noted that dense roadside bushes prevented it from falling even further.
Further details regarding the accident and damages are awaited.
The microbus was returning from the Halesi Temple following the Bolbam festival—a religious celebration held throughout the month of Saun. Halesi, a renowned pilgrimage site in eastern Nepal, holds spiritual significance for Hindu, Buddhist, and Kirat communities. Devotees typically visit the temple during this time using private or chartered vehicles.
