A tragic bus accident in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district on Friday resulted in the death of at least 14 people. The private bus, which was traveling from Shimla-Solan to Kupvi, fell into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar.
Senior Leaders Visit Injured, Announce Probe
Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri confirmed the death toll after visiting the injured at a hospital in Nahan. He stated that an investigation would be conducted to determine the cause, examining possibilities like mechanical failure or overloading. Agnihotri commended the local residents for their crucial assistance in the immediate rescue and relief efforts.
"Fourteen people lost their lives in the bus accident. We met the injured patients at Nahan hospital. The cause of the accident will be probed," Agnihotri said. He added that the state government stands by the victims and that, so far, nine bodies have been handed over to their families.
Government Assures Full Support for Treatment
Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil earlier announced that the state government would bear all expenses for the treatment of the injured. He noted that some of the injured were in serious condition and had been referred to Shimla for advanced medical care.
"It is being ensured that those who are injured are taken care of properly. The state government will bear the expense of all of their treatments," Shandil assured. Authorities are closely monitoring the condition of all those hospitalized.
Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, provided further details, indicating that around 40 people were believed to be traveling in the bus. More than 22 injured passengers were shifted by police and administrative teams to different hospitals.
National Leaders Express Condolences, Announce Aid
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the PM's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. In a post on X, the PMO described the loss of lives as "extremely saddening" and extended condolences.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her deepest condolences to the bereaved families in a message on X. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed district authorities to provide all possible assistance to the victims' kin and ensure the best medical care.
The tragedy drew expressions of grief from several political leaders across party lines, including BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, and others.
Videos from the accident site, circulating on social media, showed local residents and officials from the district administration and police working together in the rescue operations to extricate the injured from the wreckage.
