A school bus with nearly 45 students fell into a deep gorge on Monday, 9 April, in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district killing at least 30 on board.
Thirty, including 27 children, died as the school bus fell off a cliff in Kangra district, Himachal Transport Minister Govind Singh Thakur told PTI.
All the students who have died were below the age of 10. The bus driver and two teachers were also among those who lost their lives, IANS reported.
Police, local volunteers, ambulances, team of doctors and other emergency services were pressed into service, The Times of India reported. The bodies were extricated from the rubble with the assistance of local youth.
A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was also rushed to the spot in Nurpur area of Kangra district, news agency ANI reported.
Food and Supplies minister Krishan Kapoor was among the senior state functionaries at the accident site to supervise rescue operations.
Around 45 students of Wazir Ram Singh Pathania Memorial Public School were returning home when the bus skidded off road and fell into the 100-feet deep gorge near Gurchal village on the Nurpur-Chamba road, some 300 km from the state capital.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur condoled the deaths and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakhs each for the families of the accident victims, ANI reported.
A magisterial probe was ordered and preliminary inquiries suggested the accident occurred as the driver lost control over the bus which veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge, an official said.
At least 13 of the injured were referred to a hospital in Pathankot in Punjab where one of them succumbed to injuries, an official told PTI.
The condition of other injured persons was critical, he added.
PM, President Share Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the families of the deceased kids.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu also expressed their condolences.
(With inputs from ANI, IANS and The Times of India)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)