21 killed, 16 injured in road accident in Nepal

From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Aug 26 (PTI) At least 21 people, including twowomen, were killed today and 17 others injured when a busskidded off the highway and fell some 100 metres into a riverin Nepal’s southwestern Chitwan district. The passenger bus was heading for Pokhara from Gaur inRautahat district here when it plunged into the TrishuliRiver, Chitwan Police Chief SP Basanta Kunwar was quoted assaying by The Kathmandu Post. Police and locals rescued the injured and pulled outbodies from the wreckage where the bus was submerged. The injured have been admitted to a hospital in Bharatpurin the district and the deceased are yet to be identified. Thesearch operations for the missing persons is on, he said. The cause of the accident has not been ascertained yet. Road accidents in Nepal are generally blamed on poorlymaintained vehicles and substandard roads. Last week, at least 31 people were killed when a crowdedbus skidded off the road and fell 300 meters down the hill incentral Nepal. PTI KJ ABHKJ