Shimla/Gurugram, Jun 19 (PTI) A family’s holiday trip turned into a nightmare as a woman and her 11-month-old son died after the parked vehicle they were in rolled backwards and plunged into a gorge in Lahaul and Spiti district, police said on Friday.
The deceased have been identified as Tanu Kumari, 26, and her son Daksh Kumar, residents of Gurugram, Haryana.
The accident occurred near Gramphu on the Koksar-Rohtang route on Wednesday when the family halted to enjoy the scenic surroundings while travelling from Manali towards the Lahaul and Spiti district.
According to police, the driver and other passengers stepped out of the vehicle to admire the natural landscape. Tanu and her son stayed inside, along with another woman, as Tanu was feeding her infant.
The vehicle suddenly started rolling backwards on a slope and fell into a gorge, they said. Eyewitnesses reported that the car slipped backwards.
Residents launched a rescue operation and shifted the injured to a hospital in Manali, where doctors declared Tanu and her son dead on arrival.
Savita Devi, 52, who sustained injuries in the incident, is undergoing treatment, police said.
The accident site is located around 8 kilometres uphill from Koksar towards Rohtang. The area has difficult terrain and poor mobile connectivity.
At an area of about 13,833 square kilometres, Lahaul and Spiti is Himachal Pradesh’s largest district by area, yet it remains among the least populous in the country with about 35,000 residents.
Officials said that due to difficult terrain and poor communication facilities, information about accidents in such remote areas often reaches authorities late.
The bodies were handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination, they said.
Lahaul and Spiti SP Shivani Mehla said a case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
The police said they are investigating whether the handbrake was engaged while parking, along with other possible angles. PTI COR BPL SMV PRK
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