Himachal tragedy: 13 killed, including 6-month-old baby, after massive boulders crush taxi in Himachal's Lahaul Spiti
PTC Web Desk: A tragic road accident claimed the lives of 13 persons after massive boulders fell on a moving Tata Sumo taxi in Himachal Pradesh's tribal district of Lahaul Spiti on Friday afternoon. Two passengers were rescued alive from the wreckage.
According to officials, 15 persons were travelling in the Tata Sumo (registration number HP-01M-2210). All of them were residents of the Pangi Valley in Chamba district and were returning home from Kullu.
The accident occurred near Kadu Nala on the Udaipur-Killar road when huge rocks suddenly came crashing down from the hillside, directly hitting the vehicle. The impact completely destroyed the taxi.
Local reports said the force of the falling boulders was so severe that the rear portion of the vehicle caught fire. People present at the spot, along with security personnel, immediately tried to extinguish the flames. The accident was so devastating that the bodies of several victims were badly damaged, making identification difficult.
Initial information suggests that the Udaipur-Killar road had remained closed a day earlier due to a landslide caused by heavy rainfall. The passengers had stayed overnight in Tindi while waiting for the road to reopen.
Soon after traffic resumed, the group continued their journey towards Pangi. However, they met with the fatal accident near Kadu Nala when large rocks suddenly fell onto their vehicle.
Bharmour MLA Janak Raj said one of the victims was a six-month-old baby. He urged the Deputy Commissioners of Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti to ensure that rescue and relief operations were carried out without delay.
Police, district administration and rescue teams rushed to the accident site and continued relief efforts.
Authorities have not yet released the official identities of those killed. However, preliminary information indicates that all the victims belonged to the Pangi Valley.
Lahaul-Spiti DSP Rashmi Sharma said a police team reached the accident site to gather detailed information. SP Shivani Mehla confirmed that 13 of the 15 occupants lost their lives, while two survived.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. He directed the Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul Spiti to personally monitor rescue and relief operations at the accident site.
The Chief Minister also instructed officials to provide every possible assistance to the families of the deceased and ensure the best medical care for the survivors. He prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families to cope with the tragedy.
- PTC NEWS
