19 killed, 75 injured in two road accidents in Himachal

Shimla: Nineteen persons died and 75 others were injured in two bus accidents in Himachal. While 12 passengers were killed and 42 injured when an HRTC bus rolled down a gorge at Galu, 6 km from Jogindernagar in Mandi district, on Saturday night, seven others died and 33 sustained injuries when a private bus rolled down a mountain slope near Dhaliara, around 63 km from Dharamshala, on Sunday afternoon.
The private bus, carrying 40 pilgrims from Amritsar in Punjab, was on its way to Jawalamukhi shrine in Himachal, when it skidded off the road and rolled down a mountain slope near Dhaliara. While four persons died on the spot, three others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The injured were rushed to civil hospital in Dehra, of whom 13 were shifted to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Tanda, in Kangra district.
The HRTC bus was on its way to Rekong Peo in tribal Kinnaur district from Dharamshala when it plunged down a gorge on Saturday night. Sources said there were 55 passengers on board the bus. Since it was the last bus for the day, it was packed with daily commuters and office-goers. Most of those killed were from nearby places.
The state government has ordered a magisterial probe to ascertain the reasons for the accident. The bus driver, identified as Kishan Chand of Paliali village, Nurpur subdivision, Kangra district, was killed while conductor Raghuveer Singh of Jaisinghpur in Kangra district was injured. He is undergoing treatment at Jogindernagar hospital.
Locals rushed to the spot to help the victim and called ambulances to rush the injured to nearby hospitals. Those seriously injured were referred to Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College and Hospital, Tanda in Kangra district.
In his statement to police, Raghuveer said the accident took place when the driver lost control over the vehicle while trying to give way to another bus on the road which had been dug up for laying the cable.
Chief minister Virbhadra Singh visited Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda and inquired into the well being of the injured. He announced Rs five lakh compensation to relatives of the deceased and directed the district administration to take steps to provide relief to victims. Immediate relief of Rs 10,000 each has also been given to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 5,000 each to the injured by the district administration.
The deceased in Dhaliara accident have been identified as Chandan (16), Anil Sharma (50), Suman Kumari (40) and Banarsi (65), Saurabh (32), Surinder (40) and Satish (20).
Kangra superintendent of police Sanjeev Gandhi said, "Prima facie, overspeeding appears to be the cause of the accident." Police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving.
The district administration has released ex gratia relief of Rs 25,000 to the kin of deceased and provided Rs 5,000 help to the injured, said deputy commissioner Ritesh Chauhan.