A tragic bus accident occurred in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district on Friday, January 9, 2026, resulting in the death of 14 people and injuries to 52 others. The incident involved a private bus that veered off a mountain road and plunged into a nearly 500-foot-deep gorge near Haripurdhar village, approximately 95 km from Nahan. Initial reports varied on the exact casualty figures, with some outlets reporting 8, 9, or 12 fatalities. However, later and more comprehensive reports, including those citing PTI, confirmed 14 deaths and approximately 52 injured individuals. The original Hindustan Times article's headline accurately reflected the final death toll of 14, though its injured count of 'over 30' was an early estimate, later updated to 52 by other sources. The private bus, reportedly overloaded beyond its 39-passenger capacity, was travelling from Shimla to Kupvi via Rajgarh when the accident took place. Local residents were among the first responders, initiating rescue operations and helping to evacuate injured passengers from the mangled wreckage before emergency teams arrived. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu expressed profound grief over the loss of lives. The Prime Minister's Office announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also conveyed his condolences and directed district authorities to provide all necessary assistance and medical care to the affected. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation, though some locals suspect frost accumulation on the road may have caused the bus to skid.