Two killed, 15 injured as shooting stones hit bus

Two women were killed and 15 others injured on Wednesday when a private bus (HP 63A 1891) was struck by shooting stones in Shimla district.

One of the deceased has been identified as Laxmi Virani, daughter of Ram Charan and a resident of Jalgaon, Maharashtra, while the other was a Nepalese national. The mishap occurred on National Highway-5 near Bithal, about 101 km from Shimla, when the bus was suddenly hit by falling stones, killing both women on the spot.

Police teams rushed to the site, recovered the bodies and shifted the injured to the Mahatma Gandhi Medical Services Complex, Khaneri (Rampur), where they are undergoing treatment. Traffic on the busy highway was disrupted for several hours before being restored.

In a separate incident, dozens of vehicles were damaged in Kinnaur district after continuous shooting stones struck the NH-5 stretch between Nathpa and Wangtu. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

District authorities said efforts are underway to clear the affected stretches of the highway. With relentless rainfall triggering landslides and falling debris across the region, residents and commuters have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel and park vehicles in safer locations.