A tragic bus accident in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh on Friday has resulted in the death of 14 people and injuries to over 50 others. The private bus, which was en route from Shimla to Kupvi via Rajgarh, veered off the road and plunged into a 500-foot deep gorge near Haripurdhar.

The incident occurred on a narrow and treacherous stretch of road, approximately 95 kilometers from the district headquarters in Nahan. According to reports, the bus, which had a seating capacity of 39 passengers, was overloaded at the time of the accident. Initial reports suggested over 30 people were injured. However, the administration later released a list stating that around 52 people sustained injuries. The bus landed upside down at the accident site.

Local residents were the first to respond to the tragedy, initiating rescue efforts even before official teams arrived. They navigated the steep terrain to help the victims trapped in the wreckage. Police, district administration officials, and emergency services were quickly mobilized, and a coordinated rescue and relief operation was launched. The injured were initially transported to hospitals in Dadahu and Sangrah, with those critically injured being referred to Medical College in Nahan.

The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. However, local residents suspect that the driver may have lost control of the vehicle, potentially due to frost accumulation on the road. Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Nishchit Negi stated that around 30 to 35 passengers were traveling on the bus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also expressed deep sorrow and directed district authorities to provide all possible assistance to the affected families. Industry Minister and local MLA from the Shallai assembly segment, Harshwardhan Chauhan, said the district administration had been providing aid.

The accident has sparked concerns about road safety in the hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh.