Private bus overturns on mountain route

Seven passengers were killed and 11 others injured when a private bus overturned and plunged onto a lower road in Chamba district at 7.15 a.m. on Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred when the bus was on its way from Bairagarh to Chamba near Chalunj Mor (curve) on the Bairagarh-Tissa road, a treacherous 27-kilometer mountain route in the remote Churah Valley known for its narrow paths and steep drop-offs.

It serves as a key stretch on the way to the high-altitude Sach Pass.

SP Chamba, Vijay Saklani, told PTI that the exact number of people on the bus is not yet known.

He said that upon hearing the passengers’ screams, locals rushed to help and informed police.