SURKHET, April 18, 2026 Three people lost their lives when a jeep carrying a wedding procession (Janti) met with an accident at Puthala in Banagad Kupinde Municipality-8 of Salyan district. The jeep, bearing license plate Lu. Pra. 01-001 Ja 0271, was traveling from Banagad Kupinde-8 to Laxmipur in Kalimati Rural Municipality.
According to Police Inspector Devraj Bhattarai of the District Police Office, Salyan, the deceased have been identified as 50-year-old Top Bahadur Thapa, 50-year-old Thage Gharti, and 29-year-old Karna Bahadur Pun, all residents of Banagad Kupinde-8.
Kul Bahadur Puri, the ward chair of Banagad Kupinde-8, who was involved in the rescue operation, stated that there were 18 people on board the jeep, including the driver. Fifteen people sustained injuries in the accident. The injured were immediately rescued and sent to Mehelkuna Hospital in Surkhet for treatment.
According to the Salyan District Police, seven of the injured are in critical condition, while the remaining eight have moderate injuries. Those in critical condition include 30-year-old Man Bahadur Thapa, 64-year-old Ammar Singh Kanwar, 27-year-old Dammar Gharti, 30-year-old Janak Thapa, 49-year-old Bhupendra Kanwar, 30-year-old Bhul Bahadur Thapa, 56-year-old Jug Singh Pun, and the 38-year-old driver Kul Bahadur Rana.
Furthermore, 38-year-old Ammar Pun, 28-year-old Narsingh Thapa, 25-year-old Prem Bahadur Gharti, 25-year-old Nar Bahadur Thapa, 38-year-old Karna Bahadur Thapa, 45-year-old Lal Bahadur Gharti, and 15-year-old Tilak Thapa sustained moderate injuries. The police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.