Kathmandu, November 12
Nirmala Devi Yadav of Sundarpur Tol in Chakraghatta Rural Municipality-4, Sarlahi, had already made preparations for Chhath, the major festival dedicated to the Sun God, which begins on Friday.
She was eagerly waiting for her sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, who had left Kathmandu on Wednesday evening and were expected to arrive home on Thursday morning.
But instead of the joy of a family reunion, Nirmala received devastating news early Thursday. The microbus carrying her family members plunged around 700 metres down a hillside at Chisapanigadhi in Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-6, Makwanpur, killing 14 people.
Six members of Nirmala’s family died in the crash. She lost two sons, a daughter-in-law and three granddaughters.
Her sons, 25-year-old Bikesh Yadav and 17-year-old Sudesh Yadav, were among the dead. Also killed were her daughter-in-law Poonam Yadav, 25, wife of Awadhesh Yadav, and their daughters Anu Kumari, 10, Diksha, 7, and Dipika, 5.
Awadhesh, who had planned to travel separately on a motorcycle the following day, survived the tragedy. His 15-month-old son, Sudip, was also among the injured and has been referred to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment.
Poonam was eight months pregnant at the time of the accident.
According to Awadhesh’s neighbours, he had hired the electric microbus for Rs 12,000 at around 2am on Thursday to send his family home for Chhath. He was planning to follow them on his motorcycle. However, shortly after sending his family off, he received news of the accident.
Awadhesh had been selling vegetables and fruits in Kathmandu for more than a decade to support his family. He lived in the capital with his wife, four children and two younger brothers.
He was also helping finance his brothers’ education. His younger brother Bikesh had completed a civil sub-overseer course and was preparing for the Public Service Commission examinations. Sudesh had arrived in Kathmandu only during Dashain and would help his elder brother with the business in his free time.
Awadhesh’s father, Ramsunar Yadav, had died eight years ago while working in Chandigarh, India. Since then, Awadhesh had shouldered the responsibility of supporting the family.
His uncle, Prem Lal Rai, said the family was already struggling financially and had very little land in the village.
“Because the family’s financial condition was weak, Awadhesh stayed in Kathmandu and ran a fruit business to support everyone. He paid for his brothers’ and children’s education. But now he has lost everything,” Rai said.
The tragedy has devastated not only Nirmala and Awadhesh but the entire neighbourhood.
Of the 14 people killed, 13 were residents of Sundarpur Tol. The other victim was the driver, Rabishankar Kumar Mandal, from Agarwa in Kabilasi Municipality-8, Sarlahi.
The other victims from Sundarpur Tol were Guddu Yadav, 35, his wife Gayatri Devi Yadav, 30, Ramdular Yadav, 25, Subodh Yadav, 24, Rakesh Yadav, 40, his 15-year-old son Rohan Yadav, and Rakesh’s 25-year-old brother-in-law Ram Prabesh Yadav, also known as Chhotu.
Six people were injured in the accident, including Awadhesh’s 15-month-old son Sudip.
Most of those travelling in the microbus were engaged in vegetable and fruit businesses in Kathmandu. They were returning to their hometown to celebrate Chhath with their families.
The accident has plunged Sundarpur Tol into mourning. The festive preparations have given way to grief, and the neighbourhood that was preparing to celebrate Chhath is now struggling to come to terms with the loss of so many lives.
