Two from state die in Nepal accident

Bhubaneswar: Two Odia tourists were killed and two seriously injured in a road accident in Nepal’s Rautahat district on Monday night when their bus was hit by a truck. The deceased, Bijay Kumar Jena and Charan Biswal, are from Delanga in Puri district.
The injured, who are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nepal, have been identified as Sheshadev Jena and Sarbeshwar Jena.
Sources said the bus with 20 pilgrims had halted at Mangalpur on the roadside on its way from Janakpur to Kathmandu. A truck coming from the same direction hit the rear of the bus. The impact was so severe that the bus skidded 20 metres into the nearby forest killing the two on the spot.
The driver fled from the accident site.
Local police have launched a manhunt for him. Police have also informed the Indian consulate at Birgunj regarding the death of Indian tourists.
Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to foreign minister S Jaishankar to take steps to bring the bodies to India.
Pradhan said he is in touch with the relatives of both the deceased and the injured.