1 killed, two injured as boulder falls on vehicle near Bhararighat

One person was killed and two others were injured when a huge boulder rolled down the hill and fell on a moving Himachal-registered vehicle near Bhararighat on the Shimla-Bhararighat road on Tuesday afternoon around 2 pm.

Two men and a woman were travelling in the vehicle when the mishap occurred. They sustained serious injuries and were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Arki, for treatment. The man, identified as Anil Bakshi (63), a resident of Shimla, was pronounced dead by doctors at the hospital. The injured were Anil’s wife, Brijeswari (58), and his son, Anil (27).

Local residents and policemen rushed to the site after receiving information about the mishap. A coordinated effort helped extricate the trio from the vehicle, which was smashed beyond repair. The rescue operation lasted around an hour. Anil Bakshi, who suffered fatal injuries, was declared dead.

Vehicles queued up on both sides of the highway as excavation work continued for over an hour, leaving motorists stranded.

The accident has once again exposed how the fragile hills have become vulnerable to landslides during the rains.