Himachal bus accident: Search on for bodies as 14 killed, PM announces ex-gratia, state govt to bear treatment costs

Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said 14 people were killed when a private bus traveling from Shimla-Solan to Kupvi plunged into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district, ANI reported.

After visiting the injured at a hospital in Nahan on Friday, Agnihotri said an investigation would be conducted and commended residents for their assistance in rescue and relief efforts.

“14 people lost their lives in the bus accident. We met the injured patients at Nahan hospital. The cause of the accident will be probed to know whether there was a mechanical failure or overloading. People have extended a lot of support to the administration in the relief work,” he said.

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“The state govt stands by the victims. So far, 9 bodies have been handed over to the kin of the victims,” he added.

State govt to bear all treatment expenses

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said the government was ensuring proper medical care for all injured, adding that the government would bear all treatment expenses.

Speaking to ANI, he said some of the injured were in serious condition and had been referred to Shimla for advanced medical treatment.

“It is being ensured that those who are injured are taken care of properly. Some of them are serious and hence have been sent to Shimla. The state government will bear the expense of all of their treatments,” he said.

The Health Minister assured that the authorities were closely monitoring the condition of the injured and that all necessary medical facilities were being provided to ensure their recovery.

“Around 40 people were believed to be travelling in the bus. More than 22 injured passengers have been shifted by police and administrative teams to different hospitals, Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh,” said.

Expressing condolences, he said the first priority was to ensure that the injured receive immediate medical treatment.

"The government expresses its condolences to all the bereaved families. Our first priority is to ensure that the injured receive immediate medical treatment and are taken to hospitals, and that formal confirmation of the deceased and injured is done after initial rescue operations," Chauhan said.

Meanwhile, PM Modi announced ex-gratia worth ₹2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

"The loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, is extremely saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," PMO posted on X.

President Droupadi Murmu also mourned the deaths and said on X: "I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured individuals." Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, in a statement issued here, expressed deepest condolences and directed the district authorities to provide all possible assistance to the next of kin of those killed in the accident and ensure the best medical care to the injured.

The BJP national president and Union health Minister J P Nadda, Leader of the Opposition in Himachal Assembly Jai Ram Thakur and state BJP chief Rajiv Bindal, Shimla BJP MP Suresh Kashyap and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri have also expressed grief on the tragedy.

In videos circulating on social media, a large crowd is seen helping in the rescue operations, trying to get the injured out of the wreckage of the bus. Officials of the district administration, police and others are also at work.

(With inputs from agencies)