A tragic bus accident in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, on Friday left 14 people dead and over 20 injured after a private bus fell into a 500-foot deep gorge near Haripurdhar village. The bus, traveling from Shimla to Kupvi via Rajgarh, landed upside down at the site.
Reports suggest the bus was overloaded beyond its 39-passenger capacity, though the exact number on board is still being confirmed. Locals believe the driver may have lost control due to frost, causing the vehicle to skid into the gorge.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities working urgently to aid survivors. Police have launched an investigation to determine the accident’s cause.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed condolences and assured support for the victims’ families and proper medical care for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mourned the loss and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the deceased.
