Kullu: 12 killed as bus plunges into gorge, CM orders magisterial probe

Kullu bus accident: The bus was on its way from Shanshar to Sainj and local residents were first to rush to the scene before the arrival of the rescue teams.

Twelve people were killed when a bus they were travelling on skidded off the road and plunged into a 200-metre gorge near Jangla village, about 65 kilometres from the district headquarters of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, on Monday morning. Three passengers were injured in the mishap that took place around 8.45am.

Three people were injured in the Kullu bus accident that took place around 8.45am on Monday. (Sourced)

The bus was on its way from Shanshar to Sainj and local residents were first to rush to the scene before the arrival of the rescue teams.

Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur visited the spot and ordered a magisterial probe into the accident.Thakur, who flew from Hyderabad, where he attended the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) two-day national executive meeting, also said that the families of the victims will be given an ex-gratia relief of ₹5 lakh each and the injured will get all possible help for their treatment.

“As per the information, there was a landslide at the spot and the driver attempted to cross the stretch. The causalities occurred due to impact of the bus hitting the ground as it was almost a 90 degree cliff,” he said. The chief minister said that there was a delay in rescue team reaching the spot due to remoteness of the area.

Kullu superintendent of police, Gurdev Chand Sharma said that rescuers including police personnel, firefighters and home guards rushed to the spot as soon as they were informed about the accident. “There were 15 passengers on the bus at the time of the mishap. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.” He added that the injured have been shifted to the Regional Hospital, Kullu.

Eleven passengers died on the spot and one succumbed to injuries at the hospital. The victims have been identified as 20-year-old Armina Tanu, Fateh Chand (70), Anita Devi (19), Sushil Kumar (21), Khim Devi (40), Roshi Devi (45), Paravti Devi (40) and Jhablu Devi (28), all from the nearby village.

Other victims include Amit Kumar Rajak, 22, who hails from Saharsa district of Bihar and Akash (16) and Bin Maya (30), a mother-son duo from a family of a Nepalese labourer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the accident heart-rending and announced ₹2 lakh compensation each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. “In this tragic hour my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted him as saying. “I hope those injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected.”

In a tweet, President Ram Nath Kovind said he was distressed to know about the death of students and other people in the accident and offered deepest condolences to the bereaved families. “My deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their children and loved ones in this accident. I wish the injured a speedy recovery.”

BJP national president JP Nadda, Union minister of transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also expressed their grief.