Sirmaur (Himachal Pradesh): At least 12 people were killed and 33 others injured after a private bus plunged into a nearly 200-metre-deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Friday. Among the injured, the condition of four passengers, including a young girl, remains critical.
The critically injured girl has been referred to Nahan, while three others have been shifted to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, for advanced treatment.
Bus Carrying 45 Passengers Skids Off Road
Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner Priyanka said that preliminary information suggests the accident occurred due to the bus skidding. The bus was carrying 45 passengers, including women and children.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident. The identities of the deceased are yet to be established. The accident occurred around 2:45 pm, about 100 metres before Haripurdhar market in Sirmaur district. Most passengers were residents of the Kupvi area in Shimla district and Haripurdhar region of Sirmaur.
Bus Was En Route from Shimla to Kupvi
The private Jeet Coach bus was travelling from Shimla to Kupvi via Solan and Sirmaur. It had departed from Shimla at around 7:30 am and met with the accident nearly 28 kilometres before reaching Kupvi.
Soon after the incident, local residents rushed to the spot and initiated rescue operations. Police, district administration and health department teams also reached the accident site.
Severe Impact, Passengers Trapped Under Bus
The accident was so severe that the roof of the bus separated from its chassis, and the vehicle was completely damaged. Both rear tyres were also torn off and thrown away from the bus. More than five passengers were trapped beneath the vehicle. Villagers overturned the bus and rescued those trapped inside. Four passengers died after being pulled out.
Rescue operations have been completed, while hundreds of people gathered at the accident site and outside Haripurdhar hospital.
Injured Shifted to Multiple Hospitals
Several injured passengers were taken to hospitals in private vehicles. The injured have been admitted to hospitals in Haripurdhar, Rajgarh and Nahan. Medical teams from Nahan were also dispatched to Haripurdhar hospital.
SHO Sangrah Pritam said that locals played a crucial role in shifting the injured to nearby hospitals before official rescue teams arrived.
Fog Suspected as Possible Cause
SDM Sangrah Sunil Kaith said that fog was present at the spot where the bus skidded off the road, suggesting it could be a contributing factor to the accident. However, he added that the exact cause would be determined after a magisterial inquiry.
Passengers Were Travelling Home for Festival
Many of the passengers were returning to their native villages to celebrate the Posh festival, which is observed in the Kupvi region ahead of Makar Sankranti.
Leaders Express Grief
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep sorrow over the Haripurdhar bus accident and prayed for the peace of the departed souls. He directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, BJP state president Rajeev Bindal, Congress president Vinay Kumar, and BJP MP Suresh Kashyap also expressed condolences over the tragic incident.
