At least eight people, including four women, died and 21 others were injured after an HRTC bus fell into a 100-feet-deep gorge near Tarangla, close to Maseran in Mandi district’s Sarkaghat subdivision on Thursday. The bus was on its way from Sarkaghat to Durgapur when the accident happened.
Confirming the incident, Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhu said, “It’s a tragic accident. Eight people have lost their lives, and around 20 to 25 others are injured. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families.”
“The administration is providing all possible assistance. Everyone is engaged in the rescue, the injured are being sent to hospitals, and the entire administration is on the job. The injured have been sent for treatment,” he added.
According to Mandi SP Sakshi Verma, the incident took place in the Sarkaghat Police Station area. The official said preliminary reports indicated a possible road cave-in caused by heavy rainfall, which led the bus to veer off the road and crash.
Five individuals were taken to the Civil Hospital in Sarkaghat for treatment where they were declared dead. While two died at Government Medical College Nerchowk and one died at AIIMS-Bilaspur.
Nearly 17 injured individuals are receiving treatment at the Government Medical College Nerchowk, AIIMS Bilaspur and RKGMC Hamirpur while four are taking treatment in the Civil Hospital Sarkaghat. Officials said that 29 people, including the driver and the conductor, were on the bus.
The police and ambulance teams reached the accident site quickly and carried out rescue operations despite the steep terrain. The cause of the accident is not yet known, and an investigation is underway.
SP Verma said legal procedures are being followed and more details will be shared soon.
According to some reports, an injured woman passenger requested a person helping her to bring her bag, which contained ₹1.5 lakh in cash. The helper found the bag and returned it to her.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He has directed the Mandi district administration to provide ex-gratia relief to the families of those who died and ensure the best possible treatment for the injured. He also prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for the grieving families to cope with the loss.
BJP MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, also expressed her condolences. In a social media post, she prayed for the souls of the deceased and wished strength for their families in this difficult time.
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