10 killed as vehicle rolls into gorge in HP

Chamba, Aug 5 (UNI) Ten people, including two children and four women, were killed and 17 injured after a vehicle veered off the road and fell into a gorge in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh late last night, Chowari SDM Rakesh Verma said today.

The Manhindra pick up with 27 people, on board, fell into a 500-feet deep gorge at Kut, about 40 km from here, while it was on its way to Chamba town from Shahpur in Kangra district to take part in the Minjar Fair, he told UNI here.

He said the dead included two 12-year-old boy and a girl and four women, three of whom were killed on the spot, while another succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.

Another vehicle following the pick up began rescue operations minutes after the accident after noticing two children and a woman, on the road, who had fell over from the vehicle which had rolled down into the gorge, he said.

Mr Verma said the occupants of the following vehicle informed district administration officials who rushed to the accident site within no time along with a medical team to supervise relief and rescue operations.

Five of the seriously injured have been referred to Dr R P Medical College and Hospital at Dharamshala after being admitted to Chowari Government Hospital where doctors described their condition serious.

The majority of the dead were from Banala village, near Shahpur town of Kangra district, he said.

The SDM said the district administration has announced an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each to the next of the kin of the dead and Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 each to the injured depending upon their injures.

The dead have been identified as Sumna, 32, Kamni Devi, 34, Sarika and Rajat Kumar both 12, Ashok, 40, Savitri Devi, 40, Rajender Kumar, Birbal, Rajesh Kumar and Radha Devi, he said.

Mr Verma said the cause of the accident was, however, not immediately known, adding that investigations would pinpoint the exact reason.

UNI