Pickup van accident: Two killed, 22 hurt
Eyewitness Sandip Gupta reported that the pickup van, which was traveling at high speed, lost balance while reaching the turning and overturned.
KATHMANDU: An accident occurred on Monday evening in Bharawaliya village, Lumbini Sanskritik Municipality-7, Rupandehi, when a pickup van overturned, resulting in the death of two individuals, including a young girl, and leaving 22 others injured.
According to the District Police Office, Rupandehi, the pickup van (license plate number Lu 1 Cha 2763) lost control at Shivgadhia Bend and flipped over.
The two victims who died at the scene were identified as 12-year-old Asmita Yadav from Gaindhawa Rural Municipality-1 and 48-year-old Janmati Yadav from Shuddhodhan Rural Municipality-6.
Among the injured, three people are being treated at Life Care Hospital in Lumbini, while the other 19 were admitted to Universal College of Medical Sciences in Bhairahawa, as confirmed by the Lumbini Area Police Office.
Eyewitness Sandip Gupta reported that the pickup van, which was traveling at high speed, lost balance while reaching the turning and overturned.
The 24 passengers onboard were returning home after performing the Mundan ritual at the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini.
Following the accident, the driver, 26-year-old Ashok Pasi from Shuddhodhan Rural Municipality-4, Bithuwa in Kapilvastu, was detained by the police for further investigation.
According to Police Deputy Superintendent Suraj Karki, the van, which is typically used for transporting goods, was carrying more passengers than its capacity, which likely contributed to the accident.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the vehicle exceeded its weight limit, leading to the tragic incident.
