MAHOTTARI: A pickup van carrying Indian pilgrims met with an accident in Mahottari district on Monday noon, leaving as many as 28 of them injured.
According to the District Police Office, Bardibas, the incident took place when the Indian pilgrims were returning after visiting the Shree Tuteshwornath Temple of Lord Shiva at Tuteshwor at Bardibas Municipality in Bardibas district.
Among them, 11 were women including a 10-year-old girl, according to police.
The injured ones, most of hailing from Baghari village at Sitamadi district in India bordering Mahottari, were receiving treatment at the Subha Swastik Hospital at Bardibas-14.
The condition of seven of the injured people was critical, said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nishan Thapa.
The pickup van, Na 4 Cha 1099, originally made for ferrying goods, was over-crowded as it had taking other passengers besides the Indian pilgrims, informed DSPThapa.
The driver of the ill-fated pickup van has absconded following the incident while assistant driver 30-year-old Birendra Singh has sustained injuries.
Siltu Shah, 35, one among the passengers, shared that the over-crowded vehicle was also over-speeding.
“We were frightened when the pickup speeded. We requested the driver to slow down too but he did not listen to us,” he narrated.
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