KATHMANDU, Nepal: Seven Indian pilgrims were killed and nine others injured when a bus they were traveling in skidded off a mountain road and rolled down its slopes in central Nepal on the night of March 14.
Police said on March 15 that the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. The other two injured in the crash were the Nepali bus driver and his assistant.
The bus was returning from the famous Manakamana Temple, a well-known Hindu shrine where devotees believe the goddess will grant their wishes upon visiting.
The crash happened on a road leading from the highway to the temple near the village of Shahid Lakhan, about 75 miles west of the capital, Kathmandu.
The bus was traveling downhill when it lost control on a curve and fell about 500 feet down the mountainside before landing in a ravine.
Police and local villagers reached the scene and rescued the injured passengers. They helped move them into ambulances and took them to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Police said autopsies will be carried out on those who died before their bodies are returned to their families.
Bus accidents are common in Nepal, mainly because of poorly maintained roads and vehicles. Much of the country is mountainous, and many places are connected only by narrow roads.
