Seven killed in Himachal bus accident

Shimla  : At least seven people were killed and more than 20 injured when a state roadways bus skidded off the road and fell into a 200-metre-deep gorge Tuesday in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district, an official said.

The accident took place near Nerwa in Chopal tehsil, some 120 km from Shimla, around 4.15 p.m., an official said. The area has been witnessing heavy rains.

Seven bodies were recovered from the wreckage of the bus, while the injured were taken to hospitals, Deputy Commissioner Dinesh Malhotra told IANS.

The 42-seater bus, ferrying passengers from Shimla to Tahlog, was overcrowded, one of the survivors told police. He said the vehicle rolled down the hill while negotiating a turn.

Rescue workers said the death toll could rise.