Two killed, 31 injured in accident in HP

Shimla, Nov 6 (UNI) At least two people were killed and 31 injured, six of them seriously, after a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus fell into a gorge at Kathla in this district early today, Theog SDM Priyanka Basu said.

The bus was on its way to Shimla from Karana when it fell in to 40 foot deep gorge at Kathla, about 45 km from here, on the Mathiana-Bharma link road at about 0745 hrs, she told UNI here.

Ms Basu said while six people seriously injured in the accident were referred to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) here, the remaining were undergoing treatment at the Theog Sub Divisional Hospital.

She said the deceased were identified as Desh Chand (50), the driver of the bus, and 62-year-old Chet Ram.

Five of the seriously injured had been identified as Het Ram (40), Rakesh Sharma, Hira Nand (48), Jitender (32) and Ram Lal (38), while the sixth person was yet to be identified, she added.

The district administration has announced an immediate cash relief of Rs 10,000 each to the kin of the dead, Rs 5,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 2,000 each to the other people injured in the accident, Ms Basu.

The Theog SDM said the cause of the accident was, however, not immediately known, adding that a case had been registered and investigations were on.

UNI