At least five die as school bus accident in Kakani

KATHMANDU - At least five persons died and around 40 others, mostly children, have been injured when a school bus met with an accident while returning to the capital from a picnic spot at Kakani in adjacent Nuwakot district at around 6:00 pm Saturday.

Two died on the spot while three succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment. The injured have been admitted to the Bir, TU Teaching and Sidhartha Hospitals in the capital. The ill-fated bus carrying students from classes four to eight of the Academy of Sacred Hearts had veered 10 meters off the road at Khane Khola area at Okhapauwa VDC-1. What led to the accident is to be ascertained. The bus had apparently skidded off the narrow road at a sharp bent, some sources said.
According to ekantipur.com, only three of the dead have been identified so far. They are principal of the school Sushila Shakya, teacher Pramila Rai, 38, and student Mohan Lungeli, 12. Condition of a few injured students is very critical, according to hospital sources. The death toll may rise. A team of the Armed Police Force based in Kakani had carried out the rescue operation.
A police officer involved in the rescue operation said that they stopped the vehicles heading towards the capital so that the injured ones could be rushed to the hospitals in the capital. Panicking kin of the school students gathered at the hospitals.