Youth dies in motorcycle crash

KATHMANDU: A young man died in a motorcycle accident at Pani Piya in Tarahara, Itahari Sub-metropolitan City–20 along the Koshi Highway early Wednesday morning.

According to police, the accident occurred around 1:50 AM when a motorcycle traveling from Itahari towards Dharan lost control after hitting a divider and crashed.

The motorcycle did not have a visible registration number.

The rider, 22-year-old Abhishek Rai of Tankisinuwari, Morang, sustained minor injuries.

However, his 22-year-old friend and pillion passenger, Nishan Thapa of Arjundhara–3, Jhapa, was critically injured.

Preliminary investigations suggest that both were friends traveling together at the time of the incident.

After the crash, Rai reportedly fled the scene with the motorcycle.

Injured Thapa was rushed to BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, by his friends on another motorcycle.

Doctors pronounced him dead around 3:00 AM during treatment.

Police have detained two friends of the deceased for further investigation. Authorities suspect speeding and lack of attention while riding as the primary causes of the crash.

The incident site lies about three kilometers north of the Traffic Police Post, Tarahara.