A nightmare unfolded on Nepali roads as a wedding baraat bus careened into disaster in Baitadi’s Purchaudi Municipality, snuffing out eight lives Thursday evening. Around 8 PM, the vehicle – packed with 60 revelers – somersaulted, injuring 45 more.
Police DSP Deepak Kumar Rai shared that 16 hurt individuals got on-site aid, others escalated to specialized care. The dapper duo, bride and groom, dodged fate in their own ride.
Magistrate Krishna Thapa mobilized a multi-agency rescue: army, cops, armed police, and locals united to pull survivors from the wreckage amid darkness and distress.
Pinpointing the culprit awaits forensics, yet Nepal’s accident surge is no secret. Traffic logs jumped from 4,999 cases a decade ago to 7,669 in 2024-25, harvesting 190 lives in 278 brutal smashes.
Economically ruinous, World Bank metrics peg the cost at triple 2007 levels – 1.5% GNP eroded yearly. The vulnerable pay dearest: 70%+ deaths snare pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, consigning kin to poverty via bills and bereavement.
As roads multiply and cars flood them, Nepal stares down a safety abyss. This baraat bloodbath demands bold fixes: engineered safeguards, vigilant policing, educated drivers. Eight gone too soon; their memory fuels the fight.