As many as 12 people died and 21 sustained injuries after the bus they were traveling in collided with a truck at Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality-2, Banke district on Sunday night.

According to District Police Office, Banke, the minibus (Na 5 Kha 5995) en route to Dang from Nepalgunj collided with the truck (Ba 4 Kha 9064) that was parked at the roadside.

The bus was carrying Nepali nationals who had returned home from India.

A total 11 people died on the spot in Thuriya forest area of the East-west Highway – including the driver of the vehicle, which was carrying 33 people.

Meanwhile, 22 people injured in the accident have been taken to Bheri hospital, Nepalgunj for treatment. The condition of one of the injured was critical and he breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the hospital.