Bodies of six Nepali labourers identified

Tribune News Service

Shimla April 21

Six more bodies out of seven unidentified victims of the fatal Chopal bus accident that killed 45 persons near Antravli on the Vikasnagar-Tiuni- Rohru highway on April 19 were identified today. They were all Nepali labourers.

SDM Chopal Anil Chauhan said one body that remained unidentified along with six bodies were cremated at Nerwa after completing legal-medical procedure.

He said out of 45 accident victims 18 belonged to Uttarakhand, 13 were from Himachal, four from Uttar Pradesh and one from Bihar. Eight hailed from Nepal. The immediate relief has been given to the next of kin of the accident victims.

The accident was the result of rash and negligent driving. The driver, who also died in the accident, failed to negotiate a bend near Antravali while overtaking a car. As a result, the bus skidded off the “bad road” and plunged straight into gorge on the edge of rushing Tons river.

The preliminary police investigation found this after recording statements of one of the two survivors - Rohit, a resident of Baur who along with another survivor, Tulsi Ram, bus conductor, jumped out of the bus before the mishap.

DSP Chopal, Manish Dadhwal said the police had lodged an FIR at Nerwa police station under section 279, 304 A, 337, IPC, for “rash and negligent driving”.

A team of forensic experts is inspecting the spot to ascertain the cause of the accident. The police are also examining the possibility of a snag in the bus that belonged to a private Uttarakhand operator.

RTO Shimla has also been asked to submit a technical report on the condition of the bus.