Himachal: Seven killed after vehicle veers off road in Chamba

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Chamba, June 18

Seven people, including three women, were killed after an SUV plunged into a deep gorge near Chhatrund on the Masroond-Hamal road in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district in the early hours of Thursday, police said.

According to officials, the victims were returning to Mahal village when the accident occurred at around 2 am. Preliminary information suggests the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and fall into the gorge.

Police said six occupants died at the scene, while another later succumbed to injuries. The identities of the deceased had not been established at the time of filing this report.

Rescue teams carried out a challenging operation to retrieve the bodies from the wreckage. Local police personnel also reached the site and assisted in the rescue effort.

Chamba Superintendent of Police Vijay Saklani said a police team was deployed to the accident site and rescue operations were conducted promptly. He added that the exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, residents alleged that the accident-prone stretch of road where the crash occurred lacked adequate crash barriers, raising concerns about road safety in the area.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance to the affected families.

Police are continuing their investigation to ascertain the circumstances that led to the accident.