Nahan, Himachal Pradesh:
Seventeen persons were killed and twelve seriously injured when a bus fell 400m deep into a gorge near village Milla of Sirmaur district, 110 km from Nahan in Himachal Pradesh, this afternoon.
Seven persons died on the spot, two on way to hospital while eight persons succumbed to their injuries in hospital at Paonta Sahib, Sirmaur SP Sumedha told PTI.
All the bodies have been recovered and ten out of seventeen victims identified.
The injured were rushed to nearby Shillai hospital and shifted to Sub Divisional hospital, Paonta Sahib, after administering first aid.
The condition of five injured persons was stated to be critical and they are being referred to PGI, Chandigarh.
The bus was on its way from Milla to Paonta Sahib when the tragedy struck.
The deceased were identified as Dimple (12), Attar Singh (38), Nisha (35), Vir Singh (37), Santosh (17), Chander Kala (17), Tapender (14) Jayanti Devi (40), Khajan Singh and Santo (45) while seven dead are yet to be identified.
Seventeen persons have been admitted to hospital at Poanta while four were admitted at Shillai.
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Most of the accident victims hail from Milla and Magnal village while one of the deceased was from village Phadog.