GOVERNOR SMT. Urmila Singh and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal expressed grief over the HRTC bus accident, which took place near Nerwa in Chopal area of Shimla district last evening, in which 15 persons are reported to have died. Dhumal prayed for the peace of the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family members to bear the irreparable loss.

He directed the administration to provide immediate relief to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and asked the medical authorities to provide best medical care to the injured. According to Sonal Agnihotri, SP Shimla, the bus skidded off the road near Nerwa in Chopal subdivision of Shimla district in the evening when the bus had barely covered about 20 km from Nerwa near Dhar Channa. The HRTC bus (HP-63-1033) reportedly had over 40 passengers onboard when the mishap took place, on its way from Chopal to Kupvi. The injured have been admitted to Nerwa hospital while some have been referred to Zonal hospital at Nahan and Poanta Sahib in Sirmour.

Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Onkar Sharma has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. It is, however, not certain whether the accident took place due to slippery road condition because of snow or due to overloading. A large number of office-going people and other workers were those travelling in the ill-fated bus as they were returning home after work.

Tulsi Ram, Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha, Shri Gulab Singh Thakur, Public Works Minister, I.D. Dhiman, Education Minister, Ravinder Singh Ravi, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Shri Kishan Kapoor, Industries Minister, Narender Bragta, Horticulture Minister, Shri Ramesh Dhawala, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Dr. Rajeev Bindal, Health Minister, Smt. Sarveen Chaudhary, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Mahender Singh Thakur, Transport Minister, Shri Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Deputy Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha, Shri Satpal Satti, Shri Virender Kanwar and Shri Sukh Ram Chaudhary, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries have also expressed grief over the bus mishap.