Twelve passengers, including school children, died after a private bus that they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu on Monday, PTI reported, citing district officials.
Identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained.
At 8.30 am, the bus, which was heading to Sainj from Shainsher, fell into a gorge at a hairpin bend near Jangla village, said Kullu Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg.
The district officials said that the vehicle was carrying 30 passengers.
“As per the information so far, three people are probably injured and 12 people died,” said Shekhar Chauhan of the National Disaster Response Force, ANI reported. “We reached here from Solang Valley as soon as we received the information. There is a possibility of the chief minister’s arrival. There will be a final search to rescue any remaining victims.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences and announced Rs 2 lakh as compensation for families of the deceased persons. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 each.
Others political leaders also mourned the deaths of the passengers.
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