Punjab Newsline | Chamba
A tragic road accident claimed the lives of five members of the same family in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district after their Alto car plunged into a deep gorge near Lahad on the Bharmour–Pathankot National Highway late Monday night.
According to officials, the family was returning home after getting treatment for their three-month-old baby at PGI Chandigarh when the vehicle reportedly went out of control and fell into the gorge.
As soon as information about the accident was received, police, local administration officials, and rescue teams rushed to the spot. The rescue operation proved extremely difficult due to the darkness and the rugged mountainous terrain. After several hours of effort, rescuers managed to retrieve all five bodies from the gorge.
SDM Dalhousie Anil Bhardwaj confirmed that all those killed in the accident belonged to the same family. The incident has triggered a wave of grief across the region.
The deceased have been identified as:
Bachan Singh, a resident of Gehra and a professional driver
Ripan Kumar, a resident of Gehra, posted with the Second Indian Reserve Battalion (2nd IRBN), Sakoh, of Himachal Pradesh Police
Rimpi, wife of Ripan Kumar
Kirti, daughter of Kesar Singh
The family’s three-month-old infant
Preliminary reports suggest that the area was experiencing continuous rainfall and dense fog at the time of the accident. Poor visibility and slippery road conditions are suspected to have caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. However, the exact cause of the crash will be determined only after the police complete their investigation.
Police have registered a case and begun a detailed probe into the incident. The administration has urged people to exercise extra caution while travelling on hilly roads during the monsoon season.
