Tragic Bus Crash Claims 30 Lives in Northern India
What Went Down
On Monday, a horrendous incident unfolded as a school bus slipped off a cliff near Nurpur, 325 km from the capital Shimla. The vehicle plunged into a deep gorge, leaving behind 27 children, a couple of teachers and the driver—all casualties.
Accident Details
- The bus rolled down a 60‑meter deep ravine.
- Passengers were mainly 10–12 year‑old students from a local school.
- Twelve kids were rushed to hospitals, many in critical condition.
Community Reaction
By the roadside, frantic onlookers tried to locate survivors among the mangled wreckage. Images captured the grim scene of bloodied children being carried away, some on stretchers, others in bystander’s arms.
Government Response
The Himachal Pradesh government pledged ₹500,000 (around S$10,110) in compensation to each victim’s family.
Broader Road Safety Crisis
India’s highways are notoriously perilous, with over 150,000 deaths annually—mostly due to bad roads, poorly maintained vehicles, and reckless driving. Recent tragedies include:
- A wedding‑party truck plunge that killed 30 people last month.
- An apparent hit‑and‑run that took nine children’s lives in February.
- A bus that swerved off a bridge into a riverbed, killing 32 in December.
- A July bus crash near Shimla that claimed 28 lives.
- Earlier, 16 pilgrims died in Jammu and Kashmir in a similar accident.
- A 2017 crash in Himachal Pradesh that claimed 44 lives.
It’s a stark reminder that the remote, mountainous stretches of northern India remain one of the world’s most dangerous road networks. If you do find yourself in this region, keep your seat belts on, your kids in the backseat, and perhaps a good laugh low down in your pocket—in case the road has a way of reminding us that life can be unexpectedly dramatic.
