In Himachal Pradesh, 14 people were killed and several others seriously injured after a private bus plunged into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district yesterday. The bus, carrying 66 passengers, was travelling from Solan to Haripurdhar when the accident occurred. Local residents and the district administration launched immediate rescue and relief operations after receiving information about the mishap.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the accident site. Later, talking to media, Mr Agnihotri said, the injured are being treated at various hospitals. He added that the administration responded swiftly to the incident and that an inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the accident.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief at the loss of lives in the bus mishap in Himachal Pradesh. 

In a social media post, President Murmu described the incident as extremely heartbreaking. She expressed condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Vice-President Radhakrishnan also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. 

Prime Minister Modi has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees to the next of kin of each deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The injured will be given 50 thousand rupees.