Eight killed as bus falls into gorge in Himachal’s Sirmaur, PM announces ex gratia

Eight people were killed and five others injured after a private bus rolled down a hill and plunged into a 100–200-foot-deep gorge in the Haripurdhar area of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Friday.

The bus, which was travelling from Solan to Haripurdhar , reportedly skidded off the road and landed upside down. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained , though locals suspect the driver may have lost control due to frost accumulation on the road .

Industry Minister and local MLA from the Shillai Assembly segment Harshwardhan Chauhan said the district administration has been put on alert , and medical teams and doctors at Dadahu, Sangrah and Nahan hospitals are prepared to handle the emergency.

Locals immediately rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations. Videos circulating on social media showed a large number of people assisting in pulling the injured out of the wreckage under difficult conditions. Officials from the district administration and police also joined the rescue efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured .

“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 the injured ,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X.

President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief over the incident, conveying condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep condolences and directed the district authorities to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and ensure the best medical care for the injured .

Union Health Minister and BJP national president J P Nadda , Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur , state BJP chief Rajiv Bindal , Shimla BJP MP Suresh Kashyap and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri also expressed grief over the tragedy.

Balbir Chauhan , a resident of Haripurdhar and a member of the BJP state working committee, lauded the prompt rescue efforts by local residents . Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan later visited Nahan Medical College to enquire about the condition of the injured.