A tragic landslide incident occurred in Bilaspur’s Balughat area, within the Jhandutta assembly segment, resulting in the death of 15 people. A private bus was struck by falling debris following continuous heavy rains, causing a devastating accident.
According to Karam Singh, Assistant Commandant of the NDRF Nurpur area, the incident took place around 6:50 pm. “After receiving information, our teams reached the site by 8 pm and conducted a thorough search using heavy equipment,” he said, as reported by ANI. Singh added that 18 people were traveling on the bus; so far, 15 bodies have been recovered, two live victims may still be retrieved, and one person remains missing.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed the media, “Fifteen people have died in this accident. Two children are safe, and search operations continue for one more child. The landslide debris landed directly on the bus, crushing it.” He further explained that the incident was caused by continuous rainfall in the region.
Bilaspur SP Sandeep Dhawal confirmed the rescue efforts, stating, “Upon receiving the information, police rescue teams, Home Guard, and fire department vehicles were dispatched immediately. Local residents played a critical role in saving two children.” He added that the post-mortem process for the 15 recovered bodies is currently underway. The missing child is an eight-year-old boy, and rescue operations are ongoing.
The bus was traveling through a hilly stretch when the falling debris struck it. Local administration, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams quickly responded to carry out rescue operations. Among the deceased, the bodies of nine men and four women have been identified.
Two children were injured in the accident and have been shifted to AIIMS Bilaspur for treatment. Search operations with the support of the National Disaster Response Force, including sniffer dogs, are still in progress to locate the missing child.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed profound grief over the unfortunate accident and extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. “The state government stands firmly with the affected families in this hour of distress and will provide every possible assistance,” he said. Monitoring the situation from Shimla, the CM remains in close contact with the Bilaspur district administration and has requested timely updates on rescue and relief operations.
Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear the debris amidst the challenging terrain and intermittent rainfall, with efforts continuing to restore normalcy in the area.
(With inputs from ANI)
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/himachal-pradesh-bilaspur-landslide-kills-15-search-ongoing-for-missing-child-23597735