A private bus carrying pilgrims to the Baba Balak Nath Temple overturned near Shahtalai in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district on Monday, killing two devotees from Amritsar and injuring seven others. Police, district administration and health department teams launched relief and rescue operations and shifted the injured to hospitals.
The bus was carrying around 35 pilgrims from Amritsar, Punjab, to Deotsidh and Shahtalai for darshan at the Baba Balak Nath Temple. The accident occurred about 1.5 kilometres before the temple when the bus reportedly went out of control and overturned.
Two pilgrims died at the scene, while seven others sustained injuries. Local residents initiated rescue efforts and alerted the police and district administration. Emergency teams reached the site and transported the injured to nearby hospitals.
Of the seven injured passengers, three are reported to be in critical condition. One critically injured pilgrim has been referred to PGI Chandigarh for advanced treatment, while two others have been shifted to Hamirpur Medical College, where they are undergoing treatment under specialist doctors.
The remaining four injured passengers sustained minor injuries and are receiving treatment at Barsar Hospital. According to doctors, all injured patients are under continuous medical observation. The administration has informed the families of the injured about the accident.
Police, the district administration and the health department jointly carried out relief and rescue operations after receiving information about the accident. Passengers were safely evacuated from the overturned bus, and work began to remove the vehicle from the road and restore normal traffic movement.
The administration has ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident. According to preliminary information, the accident may have been caused by road conditions or the vehicle going out of control. However, the exact cause will be determined only after the investigation is completed.
The bus had departed from Amritsar carrying pilgrims to the Baba Balak Nath Temple for darshan. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination, and the administration said all necessary legal procedures are being completed.
Officials appealed to passengers to exercise caution while travelling on hilly roads. The administration also said that all possible medical assistance is being provided to the injured and that a detailed investigation into the accident is underway.
