Former Nepal minister among 12 killed in bus accident

Kathmandu: A former Nepal minister and 12 others were killed on Thursday when a bus skidded off a road and plunged into a gorge in eastern Dhankuta district.

Over 20 people were also injured when the bus carrying 50 passengers veered off a road and fell some 60 feet down the road in Sidhuwa area.

Former Minister of State for Finance and Maoist leader Hari Raj Khewa was among the 13 people died in the accident, police said.

Khewa was the chairman of CPN-Maoist Centre Dhankuta District Committee.

The injured have been admitted to a local hospital for treatment. Four more persons succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment taking the overall death toll to 13, police said.