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46 injured as HRTC bus rams into hillside in Kullu
According to the police, the bus was travelling from Vyasar (in the Manali subdivision) towards the Kullu bus stand with roughly 70 passengers on board when it crashed due to a brake failure
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Around 46 people were injured on Friday when a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus crashed into a hillside on the Vyasar-Bhekhli road near the Kullu district headquarters, police said.
According to the police, the bus was travelling from Vyasar (in the Manali subdivision) towards the Kullu bus stand with roughly 70 passengers on board when it crashed due to a brake failure.
Many of the passengers—including those injured—were women traveling for the Raksha Bandhan festival. All the injured have been taken to the Regional Hospital, Kullu, for treatment.
The district authorities said that the accident took place around 11.30am, after which the injured were immediately rushed to the hospital.
Injured HRTC bus driver Praveen Kumar said that while the bus was descending the hill from Vyasar towards Kullu, the brakes suddenly failed. Facing a steep drop-off on one side, he steered the bus towards the mountainside, which led to the crash.
The police said that the driver alerted the passengers that the brakes had failed as the bus gathered speed on a downhill stretch. Subsequently, the bus collided with a tree by the roadside. A total of 46 passengers reportedly sustained injuries in the accident.
There were no fatalities in the accident. The bus driver was also injured and is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. Police said a case has been registered at the Kullu police station under Sections 281 and 125(a) of the BNS. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
