Eight people were killed and five others injured after a private bus rolled off a hillside in the Haripurdhar area of Sirmaur district on Friday. The bus, which was travelling from Solan, reportedly plunged 100 to 200 feet down the gorge before landing upside down, according to local authorities.

Videos circulating on social media show residents rushing to the accident site to rescue victims, pulling injured passengers from the wreckage and providing initial aid before emergency teams arrived. Police were alerted after locals reached the site and began coordinating rescue operations.

Industry Minister and local MLA from Shillai, Harshwardhan Chauhan, confirmed that the district administration had been put on high alert. Medical teams at Dadahu, Sangrah, and Nahan hospitals were prepared to handle the influx of injured passengers and provide emergency care.

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The cause of the accident is still under investigation, and officials have not yet provided details on whether mechanical failure, driver error, or road conditions contributed to the tragedy. Chauhan expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and assured that support would be extended to the injured.

Authorities have urged travelers to exercise caution in hilly regions, especially on narrow and steep roads, as the incident underscores the risks of road travel in the mountainous terrain of Himachal Pradesh. Local police and disaster management teams continue to survey the area to prevent further accidents.

The incident has sparked discussions on road safety and emergency preparedness in the region, highlighting the challenges of ensuring safe transport in Himachal Pradesh’s difficult terrain. Rescue operations and victim identification efforts are ongoing.

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