Himachal Pradesh Deputy CM orders probe into Sirmaur bus accident that claimed 14 lives

A day after 14 people lost their lives in a tragic bus accident in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Saturday ordered a probe to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap.

Agnihotri, who also holds the transport portfolio, said an inquiry has been initiated into the accident that resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. He added that the district administration acted promptly following the incident and that the injured are receiving treatment at various hospitals.

The accident occurred on Friday afternoon, when an overloaded private bus—with a seating capacity of 39—was travelling from Shimla to Kupvi. The vehicle reportedly veered off the road and plunged into a nearly 500-feet-deep gorge, landing upside down near Haripurdhar village, around 95 km from the district headquarters, Nahan.

Besides the 14 fatalities, including eight women, nearly 52 passengers sustained injuries, officials said.

While the exact cause of the accident is yet to be established, locals suspect that the driver lost control due to frost accumulation on the road, causing the bus to skid.

The injured are being treated at Rajgarh Government Hospital, Nahan Medical College and Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, while those with critical injuries have been referred to PGI Chandigarh, officials added.

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