Fourteen persons including three women and one child were killed while thirteen others suffered injuries in two separate road accidents that took place in Shimla and Sirmaur districts on Sunday morning.
Police officials said the accident took place at around 9 am in the morning today when a private bus was on its way to Solan from Manva area of Sirmaur district, around 90 km from here.
The ill-fated bus which was carrying around 25 persons rolled down the hill near Naineti in Rajgarh area.
“Six persons were killed on the spot while two victims including a 3-year-old child died on the way to Regional Hospital, Solan,” Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, Lalit Jain told The Statesman.
Jain said thirteen persons suffered injuries in the accident, out of which two persons, whose condition is said to be serious, has been referred to IGMC Shimla and PGI Chandigarh for further medical treatment.
The condition of other injured is said to be stable now, he added.
Sources said the bus skidded off the road as one of the rear tyres of the vehicle developed snag, resulting in driver losing control over the vehicle.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case in this regard and further investigations are on to find out the exact cause behind the accident.
In second accident, six persons including two women were killed after the car in which they travelling in fell into gorge near Kholgali in Chhaila area of Theog in Shimla district, around 35 km from here.
Police officials said the car fell into 300 ft deep gorge after the driver reportedly lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn.
“All the six occupants of the car were killed on the spot,” police said.
The administration had a tough time extricating the bodies of the victims from the mangled remains of the car, though the rescue operation has been completed.
Only one of the occupants of the car has so far been identified and all the victims is said to be the resident of Sunni area of Shimla district.
Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have expressed deep grief over the bus accident at Naineti near Rajgarh in Sirmour district today, in which eight people lost their lives. They also mourned the demise of six people in a car accident at Kholgali near Theog in Shimla district.
Chief Minister directed the district administration to provide all possible help to the families of the deceased and also every assistance and best treatment to those injured in this accident.