Nawalparasi. At least 8 people were injured when five vehicles collided at Daunne of Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) along the East-West Highway this morning.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Yubaraj Khadka of District Police Office, the vehicles collided with each other while trying to overtake a container en route to east from Sunauli at Binayi Triveni rural municipality-2 last night.

Motorcyclist Amar Karki, 30, of Raskot municipality-6 and pillion rider Mahendra Mahatara, 25, of Raskot municipality-7 were injured in the incident.

Similarly, six passengers travelling in a bus were also injured. The injured have been identified as bus driver Shankar Bista of Rolpa Smriti rural municipality-4, Binod Kumar Achhami of Manthali municipality-12 in Ramechhap, Udiram Bista of Liwang of Rolpa municipality-4, Namnuhang Rai of Dharan-15, Darshan Pokhrel of Rolpa municipality-2, Chandra Singh Thapa of Sunsari municipality-5 and Yagya Prasad Bhusal, 60, of Swargadwari municipality-7 in Pyuthan.

The injured have been taken to Madhyabindu Provincial Hospital, Danda. The truck driver is absconding and a search is on for him, police said. Police said efforts are underway to resume the obstructed highway following the accident.