Dang, May 1: Authorities have confirmed the identities of all 20 people who died in a fatal jeep accident in Rolpa District on Thursday.
According to Police Inspector Sunil Thapa Nepali of the District Police Office, Rolpa, the deceased include Gorkha Budhathoki (32), Til Bahadur Budhathoki (53), Yuba BC (28), Dibson BC (10), Srijana Budhathoki (24), Sudeep Budhathoki (13), and Om Kumari Budhathoki (40), all from Sisne Rural Municipality–5 in Rukum East District.
Other victims have been identified as Draupati GC (54), Tila GC (32), Jenis GC (7), Jenisa GC (12), Samyog GC (7), and Alina GC (25) of Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan City–16, as well as Dhanmaya Bista of Ghorahi–13 and Yam Bahadur GC of Lamjung District.
The deceased also include the jeep driver Bed Bahadur BK (42) of Shantinagar Rural Municipality in Dang District, currently residing in Sisne–5, along with Mina Kami (60), Laxmi Shah (60), Tek Prasad Basnet of Bhume Rural Municipality–5, and Rukmina Basnet (27), all from Rukum East.
The accident occurred when a jeep (Lu 1 Ja 4167) traveling from Rukum East to Jaljala in Thabang Rural Municipality, Rolpa, plunged approximately 800 meters off the road. A total of 21 people, including the driver, were on board. Twenty died on the spot, while one injured passenger, Samir Kami (32), has been discharged after treatment at the East Rukum District Hospital.
Preliminary police findings suggest that the crash was caused by a combination of factors, including a slippery and unpaved road, continuous rainfall, and overloading beyond the vehicle’s capacity.
All victims were reportedly pilgrims heading to attend the Barah Pooja in Jaljala on the occasion of Baisakh Poornima.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a four-member investigation committee led by Superintendent of Police Yadav Dhakal from the Lumbini Province Police Office, Tulsipur. The committee has been tasked with investigating the incident and submitting a report within three days. #Nepal
