Four killed, 30 injured in bus accident in HP

Shimla, Aug 2 (UNI) Four people were killed and 30 injured, 15 of them seriously, after a private bus, they were travelling in, fell into a gorge near Namhol in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh today, District SP Ashok Tiwari said today.

The accident occurred at 1710 hrs, while the driver of the private bus was trying to overtake another vehicle.

Mr Tiwari said two, out of a total of 15 seriously injured, were being referred to PGI at Chandigarh, while the 13 others were being treated at Bilaspur Zonal Hospital.

Fifteen other passengers injured in the accident were being provided first aid at Namhol primary health centre, he said.

The SP said that he along with district DC Munish Garg had rushed to the accident site to supervise rescue and relief operations, which were hampered initially due to rains in the area.

Mr Tiwari said that the cause of the accident was not known, till now. However, he did not rule out the possibility of speeding by the bus driver.

The district administration has also decided to give immediate compensation to the next of the kin of the dead and injured in the accident, he said.

A case has been registered and investigations were on, he added.

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