Fourteen people died and more than 20 others were injured after a private bus fell into a 500-feet deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh. The accident happened on Friday afternoon in Sirmaur district. The bus was going from Shimla to Kupvi via Rajgarh when it veered off the road near Haripurdhar village and fell almost 500 feet down. The bus landed upside down at the crash site, which is about 95 km from the district headquarters in Nahan, according to a report by PTI.
The bus could seat 39 people but was carrying more passengers than allowed. The exact number of people on board is still not known.
Latest Update on Himachal Pradesh Bus Accident
A tragic bus accident occurred today in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district, where a private bus en route from Kupvi to Shimla veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar. The incident happened around midday,… pic.twitter.com/ugIqw9iwa6
— Abhijit Pathak (@aajtakabhijit) January 9, 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modishared his condolences and announced financial help for the victims’ families.
“The loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, is extremely saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000,” PM Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Rescue operation underway
Sangrah Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sunil Kayath, who is leading the rescue work, said the operation is being carried out on a priority basis. He told PTI that the injured are being taken to hospitals in Sangrah and Dadahu for treatment.
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Emergency teams, police, district officials and local residents are all helping at the spot. Locals also assisted rescuers in pulling out survivors from the damaged bus.
CM Sukhu, other leaders express grief
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhuexpressed grief over the tragedy and asked district officials to provide full support to the affected families and ensure proper treatment for the injured.
BJP national president and Union Health Minister J P Nadda, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP president Rajiv Bindal, Shimla MP Suresh Kashyap and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri also offered their condolences.
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Industry Minister and local MLA Harshwardhan Chauhan said the district administration has been put on alert. He said hospitals in Dadahu, Sangrah and Nahan have asked their medical teams and doctors to stay ready for emergencies.
Videos on social media show locals helping rescuers carry injured passengers up the steep hillside. The cause of the accident is still not clear, but some residents believe the driver may have lost control because the road was slippery due to frost, causing the bus to skid and fall into the gorge. |
