At least 17 persons died and 24 others were injured when a passenger bus met with an accident in Dhading in the wee hours of  Monday. 

The incident occurred when the bus (Ga 1 Kha 1421) heading towards Kathmandu from Pokhara veered off the road and plunged into the Trishuli River  in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-5, Bhainsigauda, Dhading at around 1.30 am this morning. 

The bodies of 17 people who died in the accident have been recovered, said Bishnu Prasad Bhatta, spokesperson of the Armed Police Force (APF). 

He further shared that the injured have been rescued and rushed to various hospitals for treatment. 

Identities of the deceased and injured are  yet to be established. 

The cause behind the accident is yet to be known, police said. . 

A rescue operation is underway  in coordination among all three security agencies. 

A team with divers from the APF Nepal Disaster Management Unit at Adamghat has been mobilized for the rescue operation, Bhatta said. 

APF DSP Sunil Giri from the Disaster Management Training School, Kurintar is leading the command for the rescue effort.