Shimla: Atleast seven were killed and 22 others are missing when a tourist bus fell into the River Parvati on Thursday. The accident occurred near Bhuntar in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Nearly 22 people were rescued but 26 others are still missing in the river.
As many as seven bodies have been fished out from the river. The rescue operation is underway. The injured were immediately rushed to the government hospital in Kullu. The incident took place when the driver of the bus lost control over the vehicle and the bus skidded off and plunged into the river.
The tourist bus, which belonged to a Punjab based company, a Guru Kripa Transport, bearing registration no PB 19,3085, started on Thursday morning from Punjab. The accident took place at around 4 pm.
The rescue operation is going on in full swing with home guards, policemen and SSB personnel. As soon as the police received information, they rushed to the spot. Deputy Commissioner said that they fear the number of missing persons could be around 23 or 24. Further investigation is underway as the vehicle was till untraceable due to strong flow of the river.
The Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh expressed his grief over the deaths and ordered the officials to intensify the search operation. According to officials, the toll is expected to climb high.
