Families of 13 victims who died in an electric vehicle (EV) crash in Chisapanigadhi, Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-6, Makwanpur, on Thursday have refused to claim the bodies. They are demanding Rs 1 million in compensation for each deceased family, employment for one family member, and full government coverage of medical expenses for the injured. The families maintain they will not accept the bodies until the federal government makes a concrete decision and provides a clear address to their demands. One body out of 14 has already been claimed, according to the District Police Office, Makwanpur. The remaining 13 bodies are being held at Hetauda Hospital’s morgue. Discussions held between the victim’s families, Chief District Officer of Makwanpur Basanta Adhikari, and Superintendent of Police Shyam Bahadur Khatri of the District Police Office, Makwanpur, concluded without a resolution. Police stated that discussions on compensation and other demands from the victim’s families would continue today, Friday. The District Administration Office, Makwanpur, has formed a five-member committee, led by the Assistant Chief District Officer, to investigate the accident. The committee has been tasked with submitting its report within a week. The government has pledged to provide necessary support, relief, and compensation to the victims’ families of the Bhimphedi accident. According to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, coordination is underway with the vehicle owner, transport entrepreneurs, and insurance companies to cover the treatment costs for the injured and provide compensation to the families of the deceased. However, Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari stated that only compensation stipulated by law can be provided to the victim’s families. He warned that if the legally mandated compensation is not accepted, the bodies would be post-mortemed and managed according to the law. Makwanpur administration suspects that political motives are inciting the deceased’s families in an accident caused by driver negligence. Currently, insurance companies provide Rs 500,000 in compensation to the families of those who die in vehicle accidents. The Department of Transport Management has proposed increasing third-party insurance by 100 percent to Rs 1 million. Similarly, insurance companies currently cover up to Rs 300,000 for the treatment of injured individuals. The Insurance Board is preparing to set compensation at Rs 1 million for death due to motor accidents and Rs 300,000 for medical expenses. Section 163(1)(a) of the Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 2049, stipulates that the heirs of a deceased person are entitled to up to Rs 50,000 for funeral expenses and the amount of third-party accident insurance as compensation. The EV Hiace, travelling from Kathmandu to Sarlahi, crashed in Chisapanigadhi, Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-6, Makwanpur, on Thursday morning. The vehicle, carrying 20 people including the driver, fell approximately 500 to 700 metres from the road. Fourteen people died and six were injured in the accident. Thirteen of the deceased were residents of Sundarpur, Chakraghatta Rural Municipality-4, Sarlahi, and one was the driver from Kapilasi Municipality, Sarlahi. The accident has plunged Sundarpur into mourning, as a large number of people from the same village lost their lives. The passengers were returning home after celebrating the Chhath festival. Among the deceased from Sundarpur are Punam Devi Yadav, her daughters Anukumar, Diksha, and Deepika, and her two brothers Bikesh and Subodh Yadav, all family members of Avadhesh Yadav. Avadhesh Yadav survived because he decided to send his family members ahead and travel later due to lack of space in the vehicle. Of the six injured, three have been discharged from Hetauda Hospital after treatment, while three others have been referred to Chitwan for further medical care. Devendra Rai Yadav, one of those referred to Chitwan, is in serious condition, while the other two are in moderate condition. Police Superintendent Khatri reported that the accident site was an extremely steep cliff, making rescue operations difficult, with even the ropes brought for rescue being insufficient. Rescue teams from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal, and the Nepali Army were mobilised immediately after the accident. Preliminary information suggests the Hiace departed Kathmandu at 2 AM on Thursday, reached Deurali at 5:15 AM, and crashed in Chisapani at 5:45 AM. This section of the road has seen three major and several minor accidents in the past 13 months. For more details on the initial report, please refer to our earlier story: Makwanpur accident: Sarlahi’s Sundarpur village in mourning, probe committee to submit report.
What happens next
The five-member investigation committee is expected to submit its report within a week. The government is coordinating with relevant parties to provide financial assistance.
