Shimla, Aug. 9 -- Seven people were killed and 11 others injured after a private bus skidded off the road, overturned and crashed onto a lower stretch of the Bairagarh-Tissa road in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district on Saturday, said police. The accident occurred when the bus was on its way from Bairagarh - approximately 90km from district headquarters - to Chamba near Chalunj Mor on the Bairagarh-Tissa road, a treacherous 27km mountain route in the remote Churah valley known for its narrow paths and steep drop-offs. It serves as a key stretch on the way to the high-altitude Sach Pass. Chamba superintendent of police (SP) Vijay Saklani said on hearing the passengers' screams, locals rushed to help and informed the police. According to police officials, the bus had travelled only a short distance from Bairagarh when the accident occurred. The exact cause of the accident is under investigation, although the incident took place amid incessant rainfall in the region. The deceased were identified as Jagdev Sharma (50), Desraj (35), Jagdei (24) and Hardei (45), all residents of Bahla village; Tej Singh (30) of Satyas village; Neelam (34) of Devikothi village; and bus driver Rup Singh (35) of Chilli village. The injured were evacuated from the accident site and shifted to nearby health facilities. Six of those critically injured were later referred to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital in Chamba for specialised medical care, police said. A multi-agency rescue and relief operation was launched following the accident. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), state police, Home Guards, fire services and the revenue department were involved in the operation. Officials and local personnel worked to evacuate the victims from the accident site and provide immediate medical assistance to the injured. President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and conveyed her condolences to the families of the deceased. She also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured. Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also expressed deep sorrow over the accident. He said instructions had been issued to the district administration to ensure that all injured passengers were immediately admitted to the nearest hospitals and provided treatment....