Eleven people were killed and 15 others were injured when an overcrowded multi-utility vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a 350-foot-deep gorge near Timbi on the Bakras-Timbi road in Shillai block of Sirmour district, 110 km from here, on Saturday.
The 11 injured were admitted to the civil hospital at Paonta Sahib while four seriously injured were referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the driver was driving the vehicle rashly. According to information, there were 26 people on the vehicle against a capacity of 12.

Paonta Sahib DSP Nischit Negi said eight people were killed on the spot while three died on way to the Paonta Sahib hospital. Most of the victims belonged to Bakral and Timbi villages of Shillai block.

Those who died on the spot were identified as Neema Devi (15), her brother Kapil (16), Naresh Kumar (35), Dhongu Ram (30), Bhoop Singh (55), Kanwar Singh (42), Jangvir Singh (35) and Kalyan Singh (43). Those who died on way to the Paonta Sahib hospital were identified as Baldev (28), Heera Singh (50) and Kamla Devi (50).

Sources said nine-year-old Ankita lost her parents.

Shillai SHO Balak Ram said there were around 20 people on the vehicle. He said the post-mortem of the deceased was conducted on the spot.

According to information, the state-run Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) routes in remote areas of the district have been affected due to the ongoing agitation by the HRTC employees, leading to overcrowding of private vehicles.