Two persons were killed and 20 others injured after a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus (HP 06A 6454) plunged into a gorge in Nankhari tehsil of Shimla district on Wednesday.

The deceased have been identified as bus conductor Jai Prakash Negi, a resident of Ghadoli village in Nankhari, and Daku Ram, a resident of Shahdu village in Nankhari.

According to the police, the accident occurred on the Khanan-Kholighat link road near Gadrela village when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and fall into the gorge.

A police team, along with officials from the district administration, rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. The injured were shifted to the Mahatma Gandhi Medical Services Complex, Rampur, where they are undergoing treatment.

Shimla Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Singh confirmed the incident and said a case has been registered. The exact cause of the accident is being investigated.