At least nine people have been killed and 16 others seriously injured when a passenger bus plunged into the Rohini River on the Bhairahawa-Parasi road section this morning.

The bus (Lu 2 Kha 3841) heading towards Bhairahawa from Janakpur fell into the river from the Rohini Bridge at around 5:45 this morning, according to Lumbini Traffic Police Office Inspector Baburam Basnet. The bus was carrying 35 passengers.

The nine died while undergoing treatment at Bhairahawa-based Medical College and Bhim Hospital in Bhairahawa said Inspector Basnet.