14 people killed in Haripurdhar bus accident: Himachal Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri

Sirmaur (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 10 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that 14 people lost their lives after a private bus en route from Shimla-Solan to Kupvi plunged into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district.
Agnihotri, who met with the injured at the hospital in Nahan on Friday, said the accident would be investigated. He also praised the support of locals in relief efforts.
"14 people lost their lives in the bus accident. We met the injured patients at Nahan hospital. The cause of the accident will be probed to know whether there was a mechanical failure or overloading. People have extended a lot of support to the administration in the relief work," he said.
"The state govt stands by the victims. So far, 9 bodies have been handed over to the kin of the victims," he added.
Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said the government was ensuring proper medical care for all injured, adding that the government would bear all treatment expenses.
Speaking to ANI, he said some of the injured were in serious condition and had been referred to Shimla for advanced medical treatment.
"It is being ensured that those who are injured are taken care of properly. Some of them are serious and hence have been sent to Shimla. The state government will bear the expense of all of their treatments," he said.
The Health Minister assured that the authorities were closely monitoring the condition of the injured and that all necessary medical facilities were being provided to ensure their recovery.
Around 40 people were believed to be travelling in the bus. More than 22 injured passengers have been shifted by police and administrative teams to different hospitals, Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, said.
Expressing condolences, he said the first priority was to ensure that the injured receive immediate medical treatment.
"The government expresses its condolences to all the bereaved families. Our first priority is to ensure that the injured receive immediate medical treatment and are taken to hospitals, and that formal confirmation of the deceased and injured is done after initial rescue operations," Chauhan said.
Meanwhile, PM Modi announced ex-gratia worth Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
"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 Rs. 50,000," PMO posted on X. (ANI)