Chamba, July 18
Twelve passengers, including 8 women, were killed and five including driver and the conductor of the bus, were seriously injured when an HRTC bus fell into a gorge at Kalighar near Chowari, about 55 km from Chamba, at about 10.15 a.m.
According to Mr N.D. Shama, Additional Superintendent of Police, Chamba, 11 persons died on the spot while one succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital.
The injured had been admitted to Chowari hospital in a critical condition.
The bus was on its way from Chowari to Draman, about 2 km from Chowari. Mechanical fault is stated to be the cause of the accident.
The Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, Mr Rahul Anand, and the Superintendent of Police, Mr G.P. Singh, along with a team of doctors rushed to the accident site.
The police, home guards and the locals were pressed into service to conduct rescue operations.
The DC has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident. A case has also been registered.
The Governor, Mr V.S. Kokje and the Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh expressed their grief over the accident.
Mr Harsh Mahajan, Animal Husbandry Minister, Ms Asha Kumari, Education Minister and a local MLA, Mr Kuldip Pathania, have also offered their condolences to the affected families.
The bodies of the victims have been extricated from the 250-metre-deep gorge. As per the list compiled by the police, the deceased were identified as Mohinder Pal (47), police constable of police post, Sinhuta, Barfi Ram (25) of Solta village, Gulzara (40) of Trimla village, Sonu Bala (21) of Saloh village, Nirjala Devi (24) of Bela village Sanjna Kumari (32) of Saloh village, Annu(18) of Chowari town, Roshan Bibi (66) of Chowari and Tilak Raj (45) of Bhatwan village (Pathankot tehsil). Two women and one man were still not identified. The bodies have been handed over to their kin.
The injured were Asha Devi and her daughter Lalita Devi (12) of Chhalada, Asha Kumari (24) of Garnota village, driver Devi Singh and conductor Rajinder. Almost all belonged to Bhattiyat tehsil in Chamba district.
The Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Mr Rahul Anand, sanctioned Rs 25,000 each to next of kin of the deceased and Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 to the injured of the bus accident as immediate relief.
