RAUTAHAT: A tragic collision between a bus and a bicycle claimed the lives of two individuals on Sunday in the Bagmati-Chandranigahapur section of Rautahat.

Following the incident, traffic along the East-West Highway in Mangalpur has been brought to a standstill.

Jagat Bahadur Rai (56) and his wife Dhanmaya Rai (55) from Chandrapur-1 were identified as the victims by the Chandranigahapur Area Police Office.

The couple, riding a bicycle, was struck by bus Ba 1 Kha 2536 heading towards Sarlahi on the East-West Highway. The collision occurred en route, leading to their tragic demise.

Suffering severe injuries from the collision, the Rai couple was promptly taken to Chandranigahapur Hospital for medical attention. Regrettably, they were declared dead upon arrival, confirmed by hospital authorities.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Gaurab Mahat and Traffic Police Inspector Shushil Acharya, accompanied by their teams, have arrived at the scene to conduct investigations. The bus driver, Dhan Bahadur Shrestha, has been apprehended by the police pending further inquiries.

Protests by the bereaved families have ensued, resulting in a traffic jam, with allegations that the bodies were mishandled by the authorities at the accident site.