Mourning at Phagog village as four cremations in one family
Pallavi Sharma
Bilaspur:
Amid the heartbreaking tales of the devastating bus accident near Bhallu bridge in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, a miraculous survival story has emerged.
Two young siblings, Aarushi (10) and Shaurya (8), from Phagog village in Baloh tehsil of Jhandutta, lived through the disaster — but their mother and three close relatives weren’t as fortunate. Sixteen persons died in the accident after the moving bus was hit by a landslide on Tuesday (October 7, 2025) evening.
Journey back home turns into nightmare
The children were returning from a family function along with their mother, Kamlesh Kumari (36), their aunt Anjana, and two cousins — Naksh and Aarav. The family had boarded the private bus that routinely travels between Marotan and Ghumarwin. What was supposed to be a routine journey turned into a tragedy when, at around 6.30 pm, a massive landslide triggered by days of heavy rain buried the vehicle under debris.
The bus was completely engulfed by the landslide. Of the 18 passengers onboard, only Aarushi and Shaurya survived.
Sheltered by chance, saved by instinct
Shaurya, who was seated at the very back of the bus, managed to crawl under a seat when the landslide hit. Aarushi, too, found herself shielded under the wreckage. Both children were trapped under the debris but were found alive hours later by rescue workers.
Locals and NDRF personnel rushed to the scene and pulled the injured siblings from the rubble. They were first taken to the Berthin health centre and later referred to AIIMS-Bilaspur for further care. After receiving treatment, the children were discharged early Wednesday morning around 4 am. Their father, Raj Kumar, took them home — without their mother.
Village in mourning, 4 cremations in one family
The tragedy has cast a long shadow over Phagog village, where grief now hangs heavy in the air. Kamlesh, her sister-in-law Anjana, and the two young boys — Naksh and Aarav — did not survive. All were members of the same extended family, returning home together from a celebratory gathering.
“Residents in the village say the pain is unimaginable — to have one family lose four members in a single evening is beyond comprehension. Yesterday, they left together. Today, only two returned,” said a neighbour.
The area where the accident occurred had long been flagged by locals as unstable. Cracks had appeared on the hillside days before the incident and residents had warned the Public Works Department (PWD), asking for reinforcement.
