Tourist bus falls into Himachal river, six killed

In Himachal Pradesh, at least nine were killed and 21 other injured when bus carrying them fell down in Parvati River near Sarsari on Kullu-Manikaran highway this afternoon.

The chances of survival of missing persons are slim as the river was swollen and the bodies seems to have been swept away by gushing waters, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar said.

Conductor Raj Kumar, who is among the survivors admitted at Kullu regional hospital, informed the police that the bus was filled to capacity and all the persons were on pilgrimage to Manikaran as part of a package tour. “Of the injured 4 are in serious condition and are being shifted to PGI Chandigarh”, said Kanwar.

Six bodies were recovered from the accident site with relief and rescue operation in full swing, said an eye-witness. Missing persons are feared to have been washed away in Satluj river.

The cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained, he added.

There is a historic Gurudwara Sikh Temple at Manikaran in Parvati valley of Kullu.

The ill-fated 52-seater bus, bearing registration no PB 19,3085, belonged to Guru Kripa Transport, a Barnala (Punjab) based company. He brings with him not only vast experience but also his deep understanding of the world we live in, to guide the team here to perform better and stay positive in challenging times.