14 killed, 31 injured in road mishap in Chamba

Shimla/ Chamba, May 20: Fourteen persons, including three women, were killed and 31 injured when a bus carrying 45 passengers fell into a nulla in a remote area of Chamba district this evening, police said. "The bus was on its way from Sanghni to Dalhousie when the mishap occurred.

Seven persons died on the spot while three others succumbed to injuries on way to hospital and four others died in the hospital," said Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Salooni, Ajay Prashar, who supervised the rescue operations.

The SDM said the eight deceased were locals and two were from Sangrur in Punjab while four others are yet to be identified. The condition of ten passengers was stated to be critical at the Bathri civil hospital from where they were referred to Tanda medical college at Kangra for further treatment.

The rescue operation has been completed and all the passengers have been taken out of the accident spot. The injured persons were taken to the hospital in Bathri and Banikhet, Prashar said.

Immediate relief of Rs 10,000 each was being given to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 5,000 each to the injured persons by the district administration, the SDM said.

Chief Minister has expressed grief over the tragic mishap and extended condolences to the families who lost their near and dear ones.

PTI