13 killed as wedding party bus fallsinto gorge in Nepal near India border

Pithoragarh: Thirteen people, including five members of a family, were killed and 34 others were injured, several critically, after a private bus carrying a wedding party plunged into a 200-m-deep gorge in Nepal's Baitadi district around 8pm on Thursday. The district lies along the India-Nepal border, just adjacent to Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh."The bus with the wedding party was returning from Bhauni village in Purchunihat area of Baitadi district to Vilthirchir in Bajhang district. At Budgoan, it fell into a deep gorge," Baldev Badu, police spokesperson in Baitadi, Nepal, said on Friday, adding that six persons died on the spot while seven died in hospitals -- five at Dadeldhura and two at Kotila. "Fortunately, the bride and groom were in another vehicle," Badu said.According to preliminary information, the heavy vehicle reportedly lost control on the hilly road before falling into the gorge.Nepal Police along with local villagers carried out the search and rescue operation. As per officials, no fatalities from India have been reported so far. Police have arrested the bus driver, Berandra, who was also injured.Among the deceased, police in Nepal said Keshav Raj Bhatt (60), Mohan Raj Bhatt (60), Basant Raj (40) and Pushpa Awasthi (40) were from Bajhang and were the groom's relatives while Shushil Joshi (14) was the bride's brother.Eight others -- Keshav Raj Joshi (40), Ashok Raj Joshi (13), Basant Joshi (35), Vishunu Datt Joshi (41), Narendra Raj Joshi (42), Bishan Datt Joshi (18), Deepak Raj Joshi (27) and Kishan Datt Joshi (45) -- were from Bitthadchir village in the neighbouring country.Several injured passengers are stated to be in serious condition, police added.