Those injured were rushed to Sundernagar hospital and later taken to zonal hospital at Mandi. (ANI Photo)
As many as 25 children were injured when their school bus skidded off the road, overturned and fell into a ditch while the driver was trying to overtake another bus near Dehar in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh today.
The bus with around 30 children on-board was on its way from Samlog village to Vivekananda Public School in Dehar when the accident occurred in Sundernagar sub-division, about 130km from Shimla.
Those injured were rushed to Sundernagar hospital from where they were referred to zonal hospital at Mandi after receiving first aid. The inured are out of danger, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Lal, who visited the spot, said.
"Most of the children sustained minor injuries while over 12 of them had multiple fractures, but none of their conditions were reported to be serious," he added.
The local administration has announced an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 to each of the seriously injured, besides promising them free treatment. The driver has also sustained injuries.
The roof of the bus was badly dented and was torn apart and the children were rescued from an opening, said one of the eyewitnesses present at the spot.
Vivekanand Public School caters to children from distant villages.
Meanwhile, a truck driver, working for a construction company, died when his truck fell into a gorge at Nihari, 70 km from Shimla, on Theog-Hatkoti National Highway, police said. The deceased was identified as Karan from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
Eye witnesses told police that the bus driver probably lost control while negotiating a turn.
(
With inputs from IANS and PTI)