Shimla/Haripurdhar, January 9:
As many as 14 people most of them from Kupvi Tehsil were killed and 52 were injured in a private bus accident on the Haripurdhar- Kupvi road.
According to the survivors, the bus skidded on the icy layer at the spot after it came to halt and veered off the road.
Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan and Chopal MLA Balbir Verma reached the spot in late evening hours and monitored the rescue Operation.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep grief on Friday over the tragic loss of lives in a private bus accident near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district.
According to officials, at least 14 people have died after the bus veered off the hill road and plunged into a deep slope, while 52 others were injured and are receiving treatment at Nehradhar hospital and many of them were referred to Solan hospital for further treatment.
The ill-fated bus, traveling from Shimla to Kupvi via Rajgarh, was carrying around 66 passengers when it skidded off the treacherous stretch near Haripurdhar on Friday afternoon.
Rescue and relief teams evacuated the injured and retrieving the deceased amid steep terrain.
There was chaos at Haripurdhar hospital as it was not equipped to handle the patients after they were rushed there.
Expressing profound sorrow over the accident, Chief Minister Sukhu directed district authorities to provide all possible assistance to the next of kin of the deceased and ensure the best possible medical care for those injured. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The Sirmaur administration has mobilised emergency teams and is closely monitoring the situation as the death toll could rise pending ongoing rescue operations.
Even PM Narendra Modi expressed shock and announced exgratia relief to the next of kin of the victims.
By the evening death toll rose to 14 as more critical injured succumbed later.
Among the killed was also the driver of the ill-fated bus. The police is investigating the cause of death. The 37 seater bus was overloaded carrying 66 passengers.
