At least 12 people were killed and 35 others injured after a private bus veered off a mountain road and plunged into a 500-foot-deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Friday. The bus was on its scheduled route from Solan to Kupvi via Rajgarh and Haripurdhar when the unfortunate incident happened.
Bus Accident In Himachal Pradesh Claims 12 Lives
🚨 Tragic news from Haripur Dhar, Sirmaur — a bus fell into a gorge.
Reports say 7 people have lost their lives.
Around 50 people were on board. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/84nKYAfW2O— The Modern Himachal (@I_love_himachal) January 9, 2026
According to The Telegraph, the bus accident happened near Haripurdhar village, about 95 kilometres from Nahan, in Himachal Pradesh. The bus skidded off the road and fell into the gorge, landing upside down. Rescue teams rushed to the spot and launched emergency operations as locals assisted in pulling out survivors, while the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals.
While talking to the media, Sangrah Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sunil Kayath mentioned that rescue operations are underway and the injured were rushed to hospitals in Sangrah and Dadahu. Teams from the district administration, police, and local volunteers have been working to recover bodies and rescue the injured from the steep gorge, using ropes and stretchers as the area was difficult to access.
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Cause Of The Accident Not Known
Speaking to NDTV, police said the exact cause of the bus accident in Himachal Pradesh is not yet clear. However, eyewitness accounts suggest the bus driver may have lost control while navigating a sharp turn downhill. Some reports also indicate that the bus may have been overloaded, increasing the risk of losing control on narrow mountain roads.
Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and said, “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 those injured. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM.”
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We extend our condolences to the families of all the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/@I_love_himachal
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