The accident occurred in the Jaljala area of Thawang rural municipality when the vehicle slipped on a muddy stretch amid rain and fell down the hillside, they said.
The private jeep was hired by locals travelling to attend the Baisakh Purnima festival on Friday at Jaljala, according to police inspector Sunil Thapa Nepali, information officer at the District Police Office, Rolpa.
Rescue operations are hampered by heavy rain in the area, police said, adding that the exact number of passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident is not yet known.
The vehicle went off the road in the Thawang area of Rolpa, according to local reports. The jeep was travelling from Rukum East when it met with the accident at Jaljala in Thawang Rural Municipality-1. Police said rescue operations were underway as rain and difficult terrain complicated efforts at the crash site.
Officials said the road conditions were slippery at the time of the accident, with muddy stretches and heavy rainfall making travel dangerous in the hill district. Early reports also said the vehicle plunged deep into the gorge after skidding off the narrow road.
The accident has drawn attention to the continuing safety risks on mountain roads in Nepal, where steep gradients, poor weather and difficult terrain often contribute to fatal crashes. Authorities were still working to complete rescue and recovery efforts as the area remained affected by rain.
Local police confirmed the death toll at 17, while emergency responders and residents assisted at the site. The full details of the passengers and the final cause of the crash were still being examined as officials continued their investigation.