Vehicle falls in gorge, four pilgrims dead, 23 injured

At least four pilgrims, including two women, lost their lives and 23 others were injured in a road accident near Balley Hotel at Ikku Mod on the Chamunda– Dharamsala road in the Yol cantonment area on Friday.

The victims were returning to their homes in Moga district, Punjab, after paying obeisance at the Mata Chamunda Devi temple when the Mahindra pick-up vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a gorge.

Rescue teams and local residents rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital in Tanda for treatment. Doctors later confirmed all injured were out of danger.

The deceased were identified as Jagsir Singh (38), son of Varyam Singh; Paramjeet Kaur (35), wife of Gurmel Singh; Kiran (35), wife of Sukhjinder Singh; and Sukhjinder Singh (35), son of Parkash Singh. All were residents of Bhagike village in Nihal Singh Wala sub-division of Moga district.

Local police officials stated 29 persons, including women and children, were crammed into the commercial vehicle at the time of the accident. They said one woman died on the spot, while three others — one woman and two men — succumbed to their injuries later at the Tanda hospital.

Those injured were identified as: Karam Singh (35), Harpreet Singh (9), Anmol Singh (13) – all sons of Ram Singh; Jaspreet Singh (8), son of Lambi; Satnaam (13), son of Jagseer Singh; Arshdeep Singh (20), son of Jasveer Singh; Lakhweer Singh (27), son of Bhajan Singh; Arshdeep Singh (19), son of Maanak Singh; Harman Singh (23), son of Jagdev Singh; Balwinder Kaur (21), daughter of Baldev Singh; Akashdeep Singh (16), son of Karmjeet Singh; Lavpreet Singh (24), son of Kulwant Singh; Kulwant Singh (35), son of Gurcharan Singh; Amandeep Kaur (32), wife of Kulwant Singh; Harmeet Singh (11), Harmanpreet Singh (11), and Harsimran Kaur (11) – all children of Kulwant Singh; Virender Singh (30), son of Harvansh Singh; Fateh Singh (15), son of Gurmail Singh; Sehpreet Singh (11), son of Niramay Singh; and Nirbhay Singh (38), son of Dev Singh – all residents of Bhagike village.

The driver of the ill-fated vehicle, identified as Nirbhay Singh (34), son of Piara Singh, and the conductor Angrej Singh (38), son of Shinder Singh, both from Bhagike village, were also among the injured.