Shimla, Jan. 10 -- At least 14 people, including the driver and a minor, were killed and more than 52 injured after a private bus plunged into a 100-metre-deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district on Friday, policesaid. They added that the accident took place when the bus travelling from Shimla to Kupvi veered off the road and plunged into the gorge down the road and landed upside down near Haripurdhar village, around 95 kilometres from the district headquarters, Nahan. The bus was carrying over 60 passengers, police officers said. While six people died on the spot, eight others succumbed to injuries during treatment, the officers said. Several injured passengers are said to be in critical condition, and the death toll may increase, they added. As soon as the news of the incident spread, a large number of local residents reached the site, alerted the authorities and launched rescue operations. Eyewitnesses said the bus wascompletely damaged in the accident. Several people from remote areas were returning to their villages as Maghi festival is about to begin in the Giripar region, locals said. Sirmaur superintendent of police Nishchit Negi said fourteen deaths have been confirmed so far, adding that the death toll may increase. "There were over 60 passengers on board. More details are awaited," he said. The rescue and evacuation operations were immediately launched, with police and other emergency response teams rushing to the spot. "The injured are being evacuated, and rescue teams are carrying out relief operations," SP Negi said. Sangrah sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Sunil Kayath, who is at the spot supervising the rescue operation, said the rescue is going on war footing and the injured were being rushed to nearby Sangrah and Dadahu hospitals. Sirmaur DC Priyanka said, "52 people have been injured. Preliminary information suggests the accident occurred when the bus which was carrying passengers above its capacity skidded. There were 45 passengers on board, including women and children." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi have expressed grief over the accident. The PM has announced ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs.2 lakh each to the kin of deceased and Rs.50,000 each for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident. He directed the district authorities to provide all possible assistance to the next of kin of the deceased and ensure the best medical care is provided to the injured. State industry Minister and local MLA, Harshwardhan Chauhan, said, "The district administration is on alert and medical teams and doctors at Dadahu, Sangrah and Nahan hospital are ready to deal with the emergency." Chauhan said the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. State Congress president Vinay Kumar, who was visiting Dharamshala, cancelled his programmes and rushed to the accident site. BJP MP from Shimla, Suresh Kashyap, reached Haripurdhar and met the injured at the community health centre. He said that directions have been issued to the administration to ensure every possible help to the injured. Former chief minister and leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur criticised the poor condition of health facilities in the state while expressing grief over the bus accident....