Thirty people, including 27 students, were killed on Monday when a private school bus fell into a gorge in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, police said.
Superintendent of Police Santosh Patyal said all the killed students were in the age of 10 to 12, while the bus driver and two women teachers were among the victims.
Local villagers had begun rescue operation even before officials could reach the spot, eyewitnesses said.
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.
I am deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus accident in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. My prayers and solidarity with those who lost their near and dear ones in the accident: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2018
Teams of local administration and the National Disaster Response Force were involved in the rescue and faced tough time in pulling out the victims from the mangled bus.
Thirteen of the injured were referred to hospitals in Pathankot in Punjab. One of them died in a hospital, while 12 students were admitted with critical injuries.
Many #school #children feared killed after a school bus fell into a 200-ft gorge near #Nurpur, #Kangra in #Himachal. @HTPunjab @yadav_yojana pic.twitter.com/627ZPcoIks
— Saurabh Chauhan (@Saurabhjr) April 9, 2018
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur has announced Rs 5 lakhs each for the family of the accident victims. A total of 29 people have died in the school bus accident in Kangra. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/aESVu9rC3u
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2018
The rescue operation was almost over, said an official.
"Prima facie, negligent driving and over-speeding are the main reasons for the accident," he added.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Governor Acharya Devvrat and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda condoled the deaths.
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered.
The government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 500,000 to the next of kin of each of those killed and free treatment to those injured.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kishan Kapoor along with local legislator Rakesh Pathania and Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar reached the spot to supervise rescue and relief operation.
