Rescue teams had tough time to rescue people from the steep, sloppy and dangerous terrene, over 1000 feet deep, in the most remote part of Sirmour.
19 persons were killed and 25 injured as an over loaded private Bus [No. HP 64-3476] on way to Shimla from Gatadhar rolled into mover one thousand deep gorge near Ghanduri village under Sub Tehsil Nohra Dhar, about 125 K.M. from here in the most remote part of the district this after noon.
As per information received here driver of the private Bus popularly known as ‘Meenu Coach’ failed to negotiate a sharp curve between Ghanduri village and Phaguni resultantly bus rolled into deep gorge. The place of accident is hardly about 200 meters from the Ghanduri village residents of this village were first to reach on the spot to start rescue work. The trench in which bus fell was having steep and sharp slope and was dangerous trace in this tough hill area, people involved in rescue work had hard time while working on this track. The accident took place at about 2.00 P.M. people launching rescue operation told that within two hours more than three thousand of residents of surrounding villages had assembled on the spot and were helping rescue parties to pull dead and injured out from the gorge and rush them to the different Hospitals.
After getting information Deputy Commissioner Sirmour Mr. R. S. Neigh, S.P. Police Sirmour Mr. Jai Prakash Singh, SDM Rajgarh Vivek Chandel, Naib Tehsildar Nohra Dhar Narayan Chauhan rushed to the spot along with the rescue teams and other officers. Ambulances from Rajgarh and Badu Sahib Hospitals were rushed to the spot immediately.
S.P. Sirmour Mr. Jai Prakash Singh told this correspondent over the Mobile Phone from the place of accident that 14 person were killed on the spot while four succumbed their injuries in Rajgarh Hospital. 25 injured persons were rushed to different Hospitals as per the seriousness of their injuries including Rajgarh, Solan and PGI Chandigarh. He confirmed that the Bus was over loaded and over 50 persons were traveling in the ill fated Bus. S.P. confirmed only 18 deaths however administrative sources count death toll to 19 which is also mentioned in a government press release issued by the Public Relations Department here.
As per the Rajgarh Sub Divisional Hospital sources four persons who were brought in serious condition in the Hospital succumbed to their injuries were Joginder Singh [34] s/o Sunder Singh resident of village Dharoti, Tehsil Rajgarh, Sudesh Kumari [23] w/o Joginder Chauhan r/o Kanda Koti, tehsil Sangrah, Pradeep Kumar [20] s/o Jati Ram r/o village Haripur Dhar, tehsil Sangrah fourth dead person who is a male could not be identified till late this evening.
Following persons were killed on the spot:-
Suman [29] w/o Surender, Narender [25] s/o Daleep Singh and Nisha [25] w/o Sanjeev, all resident of village Chunuvi under Nohra Dhar Sub Tehsil, Baby Golu [1] daughter of Surender resident of village Chadna, Daleep [75] s/o Kayro Ram of village Ghanduri,Golu [20] w/o Raj Kumar of village Rajgarh, Railu [62] s/o Jeetya Ram r/o village Taproli, Veena [21] d/o Het Ram r/o Tatrana, Niranjan Singh [40] s/o Bija Ram r/o village Hulana, Priyanka [23] d/o Jaisi Ram r/o village Nohra Dhar, Mohan Lal [55] s/o Chetu r/o village Dana Ghaton, Sant Ram [25] s/o Devi Ram r/o village Chog Tali, Sudesh [24] w/o Joginder Pal r/o village Nohra Dhar and Surender Singh [32] s/o Bipta Ram resident of village Charna in Sangrah tehsil the dead body of one person was not identified yet.
Driver of ill fated Bus Balwant Singh resident of village Bhat Sayana [Rajgarh] is injured and has been referred to Solan. As per Rajgarh Hospital sources total 25 injured persons were admitted in the hospital out of which 16 have been referred to Solan district Hospital. The list of injured persons includes Dixit Pundir [7], Neelesh Pundir [7] and Robin Pundir [8], all resident of Phagni village of Nohradhar Sub Tehsil, Vijaya Chauhan and Vandana Chauhan of village Nohra Dhar, Hardevi [35], Bhim Singh r/o village Bhawai, Salig Ram r/o Jarwa, Sunil of Klando village, Sneh Lata of Kando village, Sanjay Kumar r/o village Chog Tali, Rajesh r/o Neri Jagyala, Ranjana [20] r/o Nohra Dhar, Sanjeev Surya [27] Chunuvi, Ankurita of Charna village, Rajesh r/o village Shamra, Sonam r/o village Charna, Conductor of the Bus Virender resident of Haripur Dhar, Rekha r/o village Charna, Ankush r/o village Charna, Kewla Ram r/o Thanoga, Poonam r/o village Kando, Rakesh r/o village Bogdhar and Omprakash resident of village Chog Tali.
Working as district correspondent with The Tribune & Danik Tribune in Sirmour.
