At least 17 Indian pilgrims have died, when a bus they were travelling on skidded off the road in Naubishe of Dhading district on Wednesday.
While 12 people – seven female and five male – died on the spot, one took his last breath while being taken to hospital. Four more people died after being admitted to different hospitals in Kathmandu.
Police say the death toll could go up as more than two dozen people are injured. Police inspector Shankar Singh Rawal told Nepali Times that six of the injured appear to be in a more critical conditions.
"There might be more people stuck inside the bus," said Rawal. "The bus is stuck in a gorge 300 meters down from the road and it is difficult to see if there are more dead bodies stuck inside."
The ill-fated bus was reserved by a group of Indian pilgrims returning to Gorakhpur of India after visiting Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.
Police have yet not ascertained the accident's cause, but say the bus driver might have lost control while trying to avoid hitting another vehicle.