CHANDIGARH: Five people, including a man and his mother and three Nepalese women laborers were killed and another injured after their vehicle fell into a gorge here today.
The accident took place near Panu Nallah in the Daroti area when the man was taking his mother and some labourers for work in his farm.
The deceased have been identified as Kushal, son of Pramod, and his mother Kalpana Devi, wife of Pramod, both residents of Daroti village. The three other victims were identified as Nirmala, wife of Pawan; Meena, wife of Prem; and Roshni, daughter of Prem, all Nepali nationals.
According to preliminary information, the mother and son were taking the Nepali labourers to a village in their car for grass-cutting work when the vehicle suddenly went off the road and plunged down the hillside. The impact was so severe that the car was completely wrecked.
Following the accident, cries for help were heard at the spot. Local residents rushed to the scene and informed the police. According to locals, the road is hilly and has several sharp bends, making it vulnerable to accidents. The car reportedly fell from the upper section of the road to a lower area.
The injured person was initially taken to a hospital in Rohru and later referred to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla. The bodies will be handed over to the families after post-mortem, police said. A case has been registered and the cause of the accident is being investigated.
An immediate relief of Rs 15,000 has been provided to the families of the deceased, officials said.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the incident and directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance to the affected families and ensure proper treatment for the injured. He also wished the injured person a speedy recovery.