Chamba, Aug 8: Seven passengers were killed and 11 others injured after a private bus overturned and plunged onto a lower road in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district on Saturday morning, police said.

The accident occurred around 7:15 am near Chalunj Mor on the Bairagarh-Tissa road, a challenging 27-kilometre mountain stretch in the remote Churah Valley known for its narrow roads and steep slopes. The route also serves as an important link towards the high-altitude Sach Pass.

According to Chamba SP Vijay Saklani, the exact number of passengers travelling on the bus is yet to be ascertained. The bus was reportedly travelling from Bairagarh to Chamba when it met with the accident.

Hearing the screams of passengers, local residents rushed to the spot and informed the police. A major rescue operation was subsequently launched involving personnel from the NDRF, Police, Home Guards, Fire Services and Revenue Department.

Of the 11 injured passengers, six who sustained serious injuries were referred to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital in Chamba for advanced treatment.

Police said the cause of the accident is being investigated. Officials also warned that the death toll could rise as some passengers may still be trapped beneath the wreckage.

Local Pradhan Mandhi Rana said rescue operations were continuing at the accident site.

The latest accident comes amid a worrying rise in monsoon-related road fatalities in Himachal Pradesh.

According to police, 78 people have died in road accidents across the state between June 30 and August 7 during the ongoing monsoon season.