Seven Indian pilgrims lost their lives after a microbus carrying them plunged into a deep gorge in Nepal’s Gorkha District on Saturday evening, officials said.
The accident occurred while the group was returning after visiting the revered Manakamana Temple. According to police, the vehicle veered off the road and fell into a gorge in the Kantar area of Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Shrestha from the District Police Office in Gorkha confirmed the fatalities and said several others were injured in the crash. “Seven pilgrims have been injured and were taken to Chitwan Medical College in Bharatpur for treatment,” he said.
Authorities said the electric microbus was carrying more than a dozen passengers at the time of the accident. Rescue teams were deployed to the site and operations were ongoing to assist the victims.
According to Tulasi Bahadur Shrestha, the vehicle was travelling towards Anbukhaireni, located west of the temple. However, officials said it is not yet clear where the pilgrims were headed after completing their visit. Police added that the exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined, noting that the accident occurred on a steep stretch of road.