32 dead, 28 injured as overloaded bus falls in drain in HP's Kullu

Shimla: At least 32 people were killed and 28 others severely injured when an overloaded bus fell into a deep drain in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, officials said.

The private bus (bearing registration number HP 66-7065) fell into the over 300-metre-deep nullah near the Dhoth Morh in Banjar tehsil of the district, Kullu Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri said, adding that the vehicle was en route to Gada Gushaini.

Prima facie, it seems that overloading and negligent driving may have caused the accident, Banjar Patwari Sheetal Kumar said.

Officials said the death toll in the tragic accident has touched 32, and added that the injured were undergoing treatment at the Banjar Civil Hospital and the Kullu district hospital. Most of the victims were residents of various areas in Kullu district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the incident and tweeted...

Deeply saddened by the bus accident in Kullu. Condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. I hope the injured recover soon. The Himachal Pradesh Government is providing all possible assistance that is required: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 20, 2019

Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also expressed grief over the tragic accident. In their condolence messages, they prayed for peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family members, an official spokesperson said.

The chief minister has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, the official said, adding that Thakur also asked the administration to provide best possible medicare to the injured passengers.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Vice-President Baijayanat 'Jay' Panda also expressed his deepest condolences on the mishap and tweeted...

Anguished to hear of the tragic bus accident in #Kullu in #HimachalPradesh and the terrible loss of lives.
I wish a speedy recovery of the injured, and pray for the souls of those who have lost their lives...
Om Shanti ???

— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) June 20, 2019

Meanwhile, state Transport Minister Govind Singh Thakur left for Kullu from Shimla after learning about the accident.

The Kullu district administration announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 to the kin of each of the deceased and the injured.

Talking to PTI, Piyush Tewari, founder of SaveLIFE Foundation said, "It's a shame that mass-casualty bus crashes have become a norm in India, especially in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh."

"The state government must immediately order a summary audit of all roads, and engineers and contractors responsible for missing basic installations like crash barriers must be booked for causing countless deaths and injuries," he said.