We had requested driver to take rest: Baitadi accident survivor

KATHMANDU: Jaya Singh Bohoara, one of the six survivors of the tragic accident that claimed six lives in Baitadi district on Tuesday night, said they had requested the driver to take a rest at Khodpe Bazaar.

“After having dinner at Khodpe Bazaar, we requested the driver to take a rest. We told him, ‘Let’s rest in Khodpe, we can start early tomorrow.’ But the driver said he will stop the jeep at Bagthala,” said Bohora.

The ill-fated jeep crashed at Jhaulek cliff soon after leaving Khodpe. “The jeep apparently couldn’t carry the load and started reversing in an inclined road. Five of us who were at the back managed to jump off the car somehow. The jeep plunged into the cliff below,” he added.

The jeep was carrying 12 passengers. Six of them died in the accident. They have been identified as Mane Bohora (60), Nare Bohora (42), Gorkah Bohora (35), Man Bahadur Dhami (45), Birkh Dhami (45), and Bire Dhami (40). All of them belonged to Banjh village in Kedarsyu Rural Municipality-5 of Bajhang. They were daily wage earners in Pithauragadh of India and were returning home to celebrate Bisu, a New Year festival that was being celebrated on Friday.

They had reserved the jeep at Jhulaghat on Tuesday afternoon and were heading to Bagthala of Bajhang. They had arrived at Khopde at around 10 pm.

“All of us had left for India after casting votes in the federal and provincial assembly elections held in November last year.  We were all returning home to celebrate Bisu festival,” Bohoara added.

(With inputs from RSS)