In a devastating road accident that has shaken the hill state, at least 14 people were killed and over 30 others injured when a private bus plunged into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district on Friday afternoon. The ill-fated vehicle, which was traveling from Shimla to Kupvi via Rajgarh, skidded off the treacherous mountain road and tumbled nearly 500 feet into the valley, landing upside down.
Rescue operations began immediately as local villagers rushed to the site, navigating steep and rocky terrain to pull survivors from the mangled wreckage. Emergency teams from the police and administration arrived shortly after to assist with the evacuation. According to official reports, 13 people died on the spot or shortly after the crash, while another victim succumbed to injuries later in the evening, bringing the current death toll to 14. Among the deceased are several women and a six-month-old child.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver may have lost control of the bus due to frost accumulation on the narrow stretch of road, causing the tires to skid. However, some witnesses also noted that the bus appeared to be overloaded at the time of the mishap. The injured have been moved to various medical facilities, including the Nahan Medical College, Solan Civil Hospital, and IGMC Shimla, where several remain in critical condition.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed profound grief over the tragedy, directing district authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the survivors. A formal magisterial probe has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the accident.
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