20 hurt as bus overturns in Shimla

Shimla: About 20 people were injured on Thursday when a private bus overturned in Himachal Pradesh's capital Shimla, police said.

The private bus overturned near the police headquarters here at 5.45 am, superintendent of Police R.M. Sharma.

Thirty people were travelling in the bus at the time of the accident.

"The cause of the accident seemed to be some mechanical failure of the bus," he said.

Two people, including a child, were seriously injured. They have been admitted to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital.

Transport Minister Mohinder Singh had told the state assembly on Dec. 14 that the government has taken several measures to reduce the number of accidents, including banning the use of mobile phones by drivers and audio systems in buses.

"Most of the accidents have occurred due to human errors. Rash driving, overloading and the use of mobile phones are primarily responsible for the accidents," the minister said.