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Written By: OM THAKUR

Shimla: At least seven people were killed and several others injured after a private bus plunged into a deep gorge near the Haripurdhar area of Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh on Friday afternoon, officials said.

The bus was travelling from Solan to Kupvi when the accident occurred. Police said the death toll may rise, as several passengers sustained grievous injuries.

Superintendent of Police Nishchit Singh Negi said seven bodies had so far been recovered and taken to the local Haripurdhar hospital.
“There were around 35 to 40 passengers on the bus when it rolled into the gorge. Many of the injured have been shifted to government and private hospitals in Solan, Nahan, Paonta Sahib and Shimla,” he said.

Joginder Singh Chauhan, Secretary of the Churdhar Seva Samiti, said the accident took place around 3 pm.
“Nearly 15 injured passengers were brought to the Nauradhar local hospital from the accident site. After preliminary treatment, they were referred to Solan hospital,” he said.

Local residents said the bus was crowded as Makar Sankranti, an important festival in the region, is being observed on January 14. “Many people were travelling home to celebrate the festival, which is why the bus had a large number of passengers,” Chauhan added.

Political leaders also expressed grief over the tragedy. Vinay Kumar, the Himachal Pradesh Congress president, said the news of the accident was “extremely distressing” and had deeply shaken him. State Industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan also expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

Rescue operations were ongoing till late evening, with police, local administration and volunteers working to evacuate the injured from the difficult terrain. Officials said the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, and a detailed investigation has been initiated.