7 Indians Die as Pilgrim Bus Plunges Into Nepal Ravine
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Kathmandu
- Mar 15, 2026
- 699
Seven Indian pilgrims lost their lives and seven others sustained injuries after a bus plunged into a deep ravine in Nepal’s Gorkha district of Gandaki Province on Saturday night. The group was returning from a pilgrimage to the revered Manakamana Temple when the tragic accident occurred.
According to police, the microbus carrying devotees skidded off the road and fell nearly 200 feet into a gorge. Authorities said more than a dozen passengers were on board at the time of the crash.
The injured passengers were rushed to Chitwan Medical College for medical treatment. Officials stated that the vehicle had been travelling from the Manakamana Temple to the Ambukhaireni area in Tanahun district when it veered off the road.
Rescue operations continued late into the night as emergency teams worked to recover victims and assist the injured. Police also launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Suraj Aryal, head of the Gorkha District Traffic Police Office, confirmed that the deceased included five men and two women, all Indian nationals. District Police Chief Bharat Bahadur BK identified the victims as Muthu Kumar (58), Anamalik (58), Meenakshi (59), Sivagami (53), Vijayal (57), Meena (58), and Tamilarasi (60).
According to reports from the The Himalayan Times, the driver of the electric bus escaped unhurt, while his assistant suffered injuries in the crash.
Rising Road Accident Losses in Nepal
A study by the World Bank indicates that the economic cost of road accidents in Nepal has tripled since 2007 and now accounts for nearly 1.5 percent of the country’s gross national product (GNP). The report also notes that over 70 percent of fatalities involve vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
Previous Deadly Bus Accident
In another major tragedy on February 23, a tourist bus plunged into a 200-meter-deep ravine in Nepal’s Dhading District. The bus, travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu, was carrying 44 passengers when it crashed.
Nineteen people were killed and 25 others injured in that accident. Among the victims were a 24-year-old British citizen, a 40-year-old Chinese woman, and a 32-year-old Indian man.
Road accidents remain a persistent problem in Nepal due to narrow mountain roads, challenging terrain, and inadequate road maintenance.