Seven killed as bus plunges into gorge in HP

Mandi, Dec 6 (UNI) In a second major bus accident in Himachal Pradesh in less than a week, seven people were killed and 32 injured after the vehicle fell into a gorge in this district of Himachal Pradesh early today, police sources said.

The accident occurred at Dehlu, about 1.5 km from Joginderngar, on National Highway No 21 in the district at about 0915 hrs, while the bus was on its way to Manali from Dharamshala.

This is the second major bus accident in the state after Saturday in which 14 people were killed and 30 injured when the Delhi-bound Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus fell into a gorge in Solan district of the state.

The sources said seven people, including four women, were killed and 30 injured, eight of them seriously, in the accident, the cause of which was being ascertained.

Six of the seriously injured have been referred to the Regional Hospital at Dharamshala, while two have been referred to Mandi Regional Hospital, where the doctors described their condition as critical, the sources said.

The sources said the remaining injured have been admitted to a government hospital at Jogindernagar.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known since both bus driver, Paramjit Singh and conductor, Chur Singh, were among those killed, the sources said.

The sources said the dead have been identified as Phoola Devi and his daughter-in-law Sunita Devi, Prem Lata, Isha Awasthi and Thola Ram.

Senior district administration officials have rushed to the accident site to supervise rescue and relief operations, the sources said.

An inquiry has been ordered into the accident, the sources added.

State Irrigation and Public Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur has expressed shock and grief while conveying his condolences to the bereaved families.

UNI XC AS DP MIR VC1558