HP: Death toll in Mandi bus accident rises to 12

Mandi, Feb 13: The death toll in yesterday's bus accident in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh has risen to 12 with two more people succumbing to their injuries last night, a senior district official said today.

Gohar sub division SDM DL Kalia told UNI that seven people were killed on the spot and 20 others injured. The injured, seven of them critical, were referred to a government hospital at Gohar where two succumbed to their injuries.

Last evening ten people were killed and several injured after a private bus fell into a gorge at Salahar, about 10 km from here, at about 1800 hrs while it was on its way to Jhanjali from here.

Mr. Kalia said two of the seven seriously injured in the accident died on way to Mandi Zonal Hospital, while another died on way to PGI at Chandigarh, taking the death toll in the accident to 12.

Four of the seriously injured were undergoing treatment at the Mandi Zonal Hospital where the doctors described their condition stable, he said.

Mr Kalia said senior district officials along with medical teams had rushed to the accident site on hearing the news to supervise rescue and relief operations, which were hampered due to extreme cold and heavy rains.

He said the district administration has announced an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each to the next of kin and Rs 3,000 each to the injured.

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

UNI