Nine of a marriage party killed in Kullu

Kullu, June 23 (UNI) Nine members of a marriage party were killed and five injured after their vehicle fell into a gorge today at Achharu Nullah in Kullu district of the state, official sources said.

Banjar SDM P R Verma told UNI here that the accident occurred at about 1430 hrs while the newly purchased Tempo Trax was on its way to Rampur from Bachchut village near Gadagusheni in the district after attending a marriage ceremony.

Two of the seriously injured have been admitted to Zonal Hospital at Kullu, while others were undergoing treatment at a hospital at Banjar, he said.

Senior district officials, including Kullu Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Jain, along with a medical team rushed to the site to supervise rescue and relief operations, which were still continuing, he said.

Local people were assisting the police personnel in retrieving the bodies from the mangled vehicle, he said Mr Verma said the district administration had announced an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 2,000 each to people with minor injuries.

This amount was besides Rs one lakh or Rs. 50,000 cash compensation that would be paid to the next of the kin of the dead as per the relief manual, he said.

The Banjar SDM said the injured had been identified as Rakesh, Anil, Dinesh, Ram Rattan (all from Chiksa village) and driver Sadh Ram from Averi village in Nirmand, while the dead were yet to be identified.

State Agriculture Minister Raj Krishan Gaur, HP Marketing Board Chairman Satya Prakash Thakur, and local legislator Khimi Ram have expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of life in the accident.

In another accident in the state, one person was killed and another injured after their car plunged into a gorge near Chamba Police Lines today.

The sources said the victims were on their way to attend a marriage when the accident occurred at about 1400 hrs.

At least 30 people have been killed and 47 injured in separate road accidents in the state during the last three days due to treacherous roads, speeding and little care for safety.

UNI