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14 killed in bus accident near Solan

The bus was on its way from Shimla to Delhi when the accident took place near Kandaghat on Shimla-Kalka National Highway.

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Updated at 8.15pm

SHIMLA: At least 14 people were killed and 29 others injured, three of them seriously, when a Delhi-bound Himachal Pradesh roadways bus rolled 600 feet down the hill near Solan area on Saturday.

The bus, carrying about 50 passengers, was on its way from Shimla to Delhi when the accident took place near Kandaghat, 10 kms from Solan on Shimla-Kalka National Highway, Additional Superintendent of Police Varinder Kanwar said.

Eleven people died on the spot, one on the way to hospital while two persons succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. The dead included seven women as also the driver and the conductor of the bus, Kanwar said.

All the bodies were recovered and the injured have been shifted to hospital. While most were admitted to a Solan hospital, two persons were sent to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla.

Chief Minister V B Singh, who was on his way to Solan, stopped at the spot and directed the district administration to provide all possible help to the victims.

Senior district and police officers went to the spot and conducted the rescue operations. The bus tore apart after rolling 600 feet down and parts of the vehicle were scattered all around.

People from surrounding areas rushed to the spot and helped in rescue operations. The bodies have been brought to Solan and would be handed over to family members after post-mortem, police sources said.

The cause of the accident was not known immediately and a magisterial inquiry had been ordered.

The Chief Minister expressed deep shock over the accident and conveyed his condolences to bereaved families. Later, he also visited the injured in the hospital.

Singh directed the district administration to provide relief to next of kin of the deceased and the injured persons.

Transport Minister G S Bali has ordered a technical inquiry into the bus accident. Chief Technical General Manager Inder Mohan Viz would head the probe committee.

Bali said the committee would submit the report within 48 hours and added that the 2005-model bus had so far covered only 2.5 lakh kms.

Meanwhile, ten of the 14 people who lost their lives in the accident had been identified. They are Nand Lal (Kasauli), Bimla Devi (Damrog), Sanjay Butail (Shimla), Geeta Ram (Solan), Mohinder Pal (Jabalpur), Rakesh Kumar Gupta and Chandra Prabha Gupta (Shimla), Sandeep and Aman (J P University) and Darshan Singh (Chandigarh).

Himachal Governor V S Kokje has expressed grief over the accident and extended his condolences to the bereaved families, while wishing speedy recovery to the injured.

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