Two women tourists killed as bus hit by boulders on NH-05, 15 injured
Shimla, Sept 3 – Tragedy struck on the Hindustan-Tibet highway on Wednesday when rolling boulders crushed a private bus near Kalimitti, Bithal, killing two women tourists and leaving more than 15 passengers injured.
The ill-fated bus, HP63A-1891 (Vishal Travel), was on its way when it came under a sudden landslide.
The deceased have been identified as Laxmi Virani, daughter of Ram Charan from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, and another woman of Nepali origin. The injured were rushed to MGMSC Khaneri for treatment.
Eyewitnesses and locals blamed reckless driving for worsening the risks on this fragile highway. “Despite frequent landslides, private buses are being driven carelessly. Passengers’ lives are being gambled with every day,” a local resident said.
Police have begun legal proceedings, but questions loom large over why buses are allowed to ply on stretches declared unsafe time and again during the monsoon.
The NH-05 has already earned the tag of a death trap this season, with boulders and landslides frequently blocking traffic and claiming lives. Yet, operators continue to drive with packed buses, putting tourists and locals in harm’s way.
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