In a shocking accident on Tuesday night, at least 18 people were killed when a landslide hit a private bus in Bilaspur district, officials said. The accident took place in Bhalughat of the Jhandutta assembly segment.
The bus, which had about 30 to 35 people on board, was on its way from Rohtak in Haryana to Ghumarwin when the landslide hit. One police officer who participated in the rescue mission said the situation was horrible, with “an entire mountain came crashing down on the bus,” leaving chances of survival very narrow. To date, 18 bodies have been retrieved, and three passengers were rescued and taken to the hospital, BJP MLA from Jhandutta JR Katwal told ET, having witnessed the incident firsthand.
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Massive Landslide in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh
A major landslide near Balu Ghat (Bhallu Pul) in Jhanduta Assembly constituency has claimed 10 lives after a private bus was buried under debris. Several others are feared trapped.
Rescue ops are underway on a war footing; CM… pic.twitter.com/msZOuTmK4Y— Akashdeep Thind (@thind_akashdeep) October 7, 2025
Himachal Pradesh has been witnessing intermittent rain from Monday that has led to uneven ground conditions in the state. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep sorrow over the disaster and directed the officials to speed up the ongoing rescue and recovery operations.
बिलासपुर ज़िला के झंडूता विधानसभा क्षेत्र के बालूघाट (भल्लू पुल) के पास हुए भीषण भूस्खलन की ख़बर ने मन को भीतर तक झकझोर दिया है।
इस भारी भूस्खलन में एक प्राइवेट बस के चपेट में आने से 10 लोगों के निधन का दु:खद समाचार मिला है और कई अन्य के मलबे में दबे होने की आशंका है। रेस्क्यू… pic.twitter.com/GBZslb36CP— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) October 7, 2025
Offering his condolences, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the family members of all the deceased. The injured passengers would be given ₹50,000 each. In a post on social media, PM Modi stated: “Saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected families during this difficult time.”
Saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next…
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 7, 2025
President Droupadi Murmu also sent her condolences, praying for the early recovery of the injured. Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed NDRF teams had reached the location and are intensively involved in rescue efforts.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
