Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, October 8
At least 16 people were killed after a bus was buried under debris following a landslide in Bilaspur district on Monday evening. Two children were rescued safely, officials said. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. when heavy rainfall triggered a massive landslide that swept across a section of the road. According to initial reports, 18 passengers were on board the bus at the time of the incident.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed profound grief over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh each to the families of the deceased. He said that 15 bodies were recovered on Monday night, while the body of one missing child was found the next morning.
“The rescue operation continued throughout the night as the bus was completely buried under debris,” the Chief Minister said, adding that persistent rainfall and unstable soil had worsened the situation.
Sukhu explained that since June 30, Himachal Pradesh has been witnessing unseasonal rainfall and frequent landslides. “The soil has become saturated, and when sunlight heats the slopes, pressure builds up, triggering landslides when it rains again. This was the cause of the Bilaspur mishap,” he said.
He directed officials to conduct a detailed inspection of road conditions and identify potential black spots to prevent such accidents in the future. “If negligence is found, strict action will be taken,” he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri was dispatched to the accident site overnight, while Minister Rajesh Dharmani cut short his Delhi visit to return to the state.
Sukhu also criticised the opposition, accusing the BJP of politicising the tragedy. “The BJP has always been anti-farmer and anti-cattle rearer,” he said, defending his government’s recent ₹36-crore Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme aimed at supporting milk producers.
He alleged that BJP-backed student leaders from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) disrupted a government event in Arki constituency attended by over 15,000 women beneficiaries. The state has filed cases against those involved, the Chief Minister confirmed. Highlighting the state’s broader challenges, Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh had suffered losses exceeding ₹7,000 crore during this year’s monsoon. “We have sought a special package of ₹1,500 crore from the Centre, but it has not yet been approved,” he added.
