Daijiworld Media Network - Chamba

Chamba, Aug 8: At least seven passengers were killed and 11 others seriously injured after a private bus lost control, skidded off the road and plunged onto another road below in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday morning.

The accident occurred around 7.15 am near Chalunj Mor, close to Devikothi, on the Bairagarh-Tissa road. The bus had departed from Bairagarh for Chamba when the driver reportedly lost control while negotiating the treacherous mountain stretch, police said.

The bus then fell onto a road located below the main route.

The accident took place on the 27-km Bairagarh-Tissa mountain road in the remote Churah Valley, a challenging stretch characterised by narrow roads and steep drop-offs. The route also serves as an important approach to the high-altitude Sach Pass.

Police said the screams of passengers alerted local residents, who rushed to the spot and informed the authorities. A major rescue operation was subsequently launched involving personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, Home Guards, Fire Services and the Revenue Department.

Chamba Superintendent of Police Vijay Saklani told PTI that the exact number of passengers travelling on the bus was not yet known. Police said the death toll could rise as some passengers may still be trapped in or underneath the wreckage.

Of the 11 injured passengers, six who sustained serious injuries have been referred to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital in Chamba. The remaining injured passengers are also receiving medical treatment.

Local Pradhan Mandhi Rana said rescue teams were continuing operations at the accident site and searching through the wreckage for survivors and victims.

Police have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to the accident. Preliminary information suggests that the driver lost control near Chalunj Mor before the bus plunged from the road.

The accident comes amid a difficult monsoon season in Himachal Pradesh, where heavy rainfall has frequently disrupted road connectivity and increased the risk of landslides and road accidents across the mountainous districts.

According to police data, 78 people have died in road accidents across Himachal Pradesh during the ongoing monsoon season between June 30 and August 7.