Shimla: At least eight people were killed and several injured after a private bus rolled off a hilly road in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Friday, officials said.

The bus was travelling from Kupvi to Shimla, it was reported by news agency ANI. The death toll could rise as several passengers sustained serious injuries.

The bus was carrying around 30 to 35 passengers when the accident occurred on a narrow stretch of road in the remote Haripurdhar area, the police said. The vehicle reportedly lost control before plunging down the hillside, leaving the bus badly mangled.

Nishchint Singh Negi, SP, Sirmaur, confirmed the casualties and said rescue operations were under way.

“Eight deaths have been reported so far in the bus accident. The death toll could increase. There were around 30–35 people on board. Police and other rescue teams are trying to evacuate the injured,” he told the news agency.

Locals were among the first to reach the spot and start rescue operations before emergency teams arrived. The injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals, with some referred to more advanced facilities due to the severity of their injuries.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep concerns and extended condolences to the victims’ families.

“The news of the extremely tragic bus accident near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district has left me deeply distressed and filled with sorrow. I extend my heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives in this accident, and my full sympathy is with the grieving families,” he said in a post on X.

The district administration has been directed to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and ensure the best medical treatment for those injured, he said.

“The affected families must receive full support during this difficult time,” the CM said.

“I pray to God that the souls of the departed find peace, that the families are granted the strength to bear this irreparable loss, and that all the injured recover their health swiftly. We all stand together with the affected families in this hour of grief,” Sukhu added.