Shimla, Jul 28 (PTI) Four members of a family were among five people killed after the vehicle in which they were travelling fell into a gorge on the Bharmaur-Pathankot state highway in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, police said on Tuesday.
The accident happened late Monday night when the family was taking their three-month-old child for treatment to Pathankot.
The victims included the ailing child, the grandfather, Vachan Singh (60), and the parents — Ripun Singh (30) and Rimpi Devi. The fifth victim was identified as Kirti (23). All are residents of Gehra village in Chamba, officials said.
According to police, the cause of the accident has not yet been ascertained. Preliminary reports suggest the car plunged into the 400-metre-deep gorge after the driver lost control.
“The bodies have been extracted and sent to Dalhousie hospital for postmortem. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident,” Superintendent of Police, Chamba, Vijay Saklani said.
Upon receiving news of the incident, police and rescue teams immediately rushed to the scene. Rescuers faced significant challenges due to the remote terrain and the nighttime accident.
Residents also assisted the police and rescue teams in the operation.
Police have appealed to the public to drive with extreme caution on hilly roads, especially at night and during inclement weather.
In a statement issued here, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the death of five persons in a road accident and directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved family members. PTI BPL NB NB
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