Eight injured in Sumo vehicle accident in Ilam

Ilam. Eight passengers were injured when a Sumo vehicle met with an accident at Dhore in Suryodaya Municipality, Ilam, on Saturday afternoon.

The Sumo, bearing license plate Province 1-01-001 Ja 4016, was traveling from Nayabazar to Fikkal when it lost control on the Barbote-Nayabazar inner road section and plunged approximately 25 meters off the road. Upon receiving information about the incident, a team led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Bishnu Sapkota from the Fikkal Police Station was deployed to rescue the injured.

According to the police, the primary cause of the accident was the driver's negligence and driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver, 42-year-old Suren Basnet from Suryodaya Municipality-8, has been taken into custody after it was confirmed he was driving while intoxicated. There were 10 people on board, including the driver, of which 8 were injured. Among the injured, 53-year-old Raj Kumar Rai, 45-year-old Kalpana Giri, 59-year-old Prem Bahadur Gurung, and 62-year-old Shyam Bahadur Rai are undergoing treatment at Shrinidhi Hospital, Fikkal. Police stated their condition is moderate to stable.

Similarly, other injured individuals—39-year-old Mina Chhetri, 45-year-old Punam Bhandari, 19-year-old Apsan Chhetri, and 73-year-old Gopal Chhetri—were sent to Jhapa for further treatment after receiving primary care at Fikkal Hospital. Although those sent to Jhapa sustained injuries to their arms, legs, and chest, they remain in a conscious state.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Laxmi Bhandari, further investigation into the incident is underway.