Microbus plunges into ditch at Lohagara; 3 killed including 2 Buddhist monks

Three people have been killed and five others injured after a microbus plunged into a ditch at Lohagara, Chittagong. Police and fire service officials have confirmed that two of the deceased were Buddhist monks.

The accident occurred Tuesday morning on the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar highway at the Chunati Jangalia area of the upazila. The deceased monks have been identified as Indasara Bhikkhu, also known as Uchimong Mog (44), and Labra Ut Marma (25). Both were hailed from Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari district. The third deceased is a 26-year-old man whose identity has not yet been confirmed by the police.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Ruhul Amin of the Dohazari Highway Police Station stated that the five injured individuals have been admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Describing the tragic incident, he said, "The microbus was traveling from Cox's Bazar toward Chittagong. Around 9:00 AM, the driver lost control of the vehicle in the Jangalia area, causing it to strike a tree before plunging into a roadside ditch. Three people died on the spot." Jasim Uddin, Deputy Director of the Chittagong Divisional Fire Service and Civil Defense, noted that local residents had extricated the victims from the vehicle before fire service personnel arrived at the scene. The bodies have since been handed over to the highway police.