32 dead in Himachal bus accident

32 killed, 30 injured when bus falls into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh

As least 32 passengers were killed and 30 others injured on Thursday when a private bus veered off the road and rolled into a 500-ft. deep gorge at Banjar in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, said an official.

The death toll is likely to rise as rescue operations were still underway.

Banjar’s Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) M.R. Bhardwaj, told The Hindu that, so far, 32people have been confirmed dead in the bus accident. “The death toll can go up as the relief and rescue operations were still going on. At least 30 people have sustained injuries,” he said.

The 42-seater bus was reportedly carrying around 60 people when it met with the accident.

“The bus was on its way from Banjar to Gadagushani-Khauli and rolled down into the gorge near Byoth Morh (curve). The injured were rushed to civil hospitals in Banjar and Kullu. Teams of the district administration and district disaster management authority, alongwith doctors and ambulances, were rushed to the spot for the rescue and relief operations, which were still underway,” he said.

Magisterial enquiry

Expressing grief over the accident, Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur said that a magisterial enquiry has been ordered to ascertain the reason for the accident. The Kullu district administration has announced immediate relief of ₹50,000 each to the kin of the deceased and injured persons.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also expressed his grief and offered condolences to the families of the victims. Mr. Gandhi, in a tweet, urged Congress workers of the district to help those in need.

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