Traffic disrupted in Manthali after bus accident

Kathmandu. The relatives of the deceased and those injured in the Tamakoshi River accident at Manthali Municipality-6 have stopped vehicular movement at Manthali bazaar area on Wednesday. The victims’ families have been demanding action against the culprits and justice along with compensation.

Relatives of the deceased have been protesting by stopping vehicular movement on the main road since early morning. Normal life in and around Manthali bazaar has been affected due to the disruption of traffic. Passengers are stranded in the middle of the road.

At least 12 people died and eight others were injured when a bus (State 03-01-005 Kha 9975) en route to Gamnang of Okhaldhunga from Kathmandu met with an accident in the Tamakoshi River on Tuesday. Among the injured, 7 are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Dhulikhel and Kathmandu. The driver who sustained minor injuries has been taken under control after treatment, police said.

The bodies of 8 of the deceased have been kept at the post-mortem centre of Manthali Nagar Hospital and 4 at Ramechhap Hospital. However, the postmortem process has been halted as the official representatives of the bus operator company have not come in contact and the demands of the victims’ families have not been reached.

Although the local administration has been holding talks with the victim’s family since Tuesday night, it could not reach a conclusion as the company officials were not present. The relatives of the company have been adamant that they will not allow the post-mortem and other procedures to proceed until the responsible representatives of the company are present and make a clear statement.

The victim’s family has demanded an impartial investigation into the accident, legal action against the culprits and proper compensation to the families of the deceased. The administration has said it is making efforts to resolve the problem through dialogue and coordination.