Nine killed as state-run bus rolls down gorge in Chamba

Nine people were killed and eight injured when a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus rolled down a gorge near Bairagarh in the remote Tissa sub-division, 100 km from Chamba, on Thursday.

Nine people were killed and eight injured when a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus rolled down a gorge near Bairagarh in the remote Tissa sub-division, 100 km from Chamba, on Thursday.

The bus was on its way from Chamba to Killar in the tribal Pangi sub-division. Three women and a child were among those killed. The injured were hospitalised at Tissa. One of the victims later succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

Chamba assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Kulwant Thakur said that the bus skidded off the road around noon when the driver attempted to cross a stretch damaged by a landslide.

"According to eyewitnesses, the driver, who was also injured, asked the passengers to alight from the bus as the road was narrow and badly damaged," Thakur said.

While most of the passengers got off the bus, several remained on board. As the driver tried to ply the bus over the damaged road, a portion of the road caved in and the vehicle rolled down a 100-feet gorge.

Meanwhile, governor Acharya Dev Vrat and chief minister Virbhadra Singh have expressed grief over the mishap.
The CM directed the district administration to provide immediate relief to the affected families.

State transport minister GS Bali also expressed grief over the bus accident and constituted a committee to be headed by Tissa sub-divisional magistrate to probe the cause of the accident. The committee will submit its report within 15 days.

Bali said the HRTC would bear the treatment expenses of all injured persons. He directed the corporation to provide immediate relief of `25,000 to the next of kin of the deceased.

Besides, the district administration provided immediate relief of `10,000 each to the kin of the deceased, `5,000 each to the injured.
Forest minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri and Dalhousie MLA Asha Kumar also expressed sorrow over the accident.

List of deceased

Salochna, Pritmas village, Chamba

Beas Dev, Salooni village, Chamba

Reena Devi, Baijnath, Kangra

Bhag Singh, Churah, Chamba

Roshan Lal and Chand Ram, Bhanjradu, Chamba

Maan Dei, Tindi village, Lahaul Spiti

Dev Singh, Devi Kothi village, Chamba

A deceased boy is yet to be identified.

Injured

Manjir Begam, Junhu village, Chamba

Ramesh Kumar, Devi Kothi village, Chamba

Sanjeev Kumar (conductor)

Hem Raj (driver)

Ayush, Chakla Luddu village, Chamba

Chatro Ram, Kathwad, Chamba

Kishna Devi, Chakla Luddu, Chamba

Meena, Chakla Luddu, Chamba