4 killed, 7 hurt in Mandi mishap

Mandi, November 1

Four persons were killed and seven others injured after the tempo traveller they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge at Dhanyara on the Dharampur-Kotli road today. They were on their way to Kotli from Lagdhar when the fatal incident took place.

According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Vinrta Devi (70), Roshni Devi (54), both residents of Harat village, and Chandra Devi (55) and Mast Ram (56), both residents of Kasan village in Mandi district. The injured are: Rita Devi (52) of Dhawali village, Jai Singh (40) of Sukakun village, Sheela Devi (42) of Chaloh village, Krishna Devi (30) and Hemlata (30), both residents of Kasan village, Renuka (29) of Kotli, and driver Ratan Gumra, a resident of Dhawali village.

Mandi Additional SP Sagar Chander said three women and a man were killed in the accident. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital at Kotli, where they were given first-aid. The critically injured persons were admitted to the Zonal Hospital, Mandi. He said that the cause of the accident was not yet known. The police have registered a case and started investigating the incident.

Additional District Magistrate Madan Kumar said that the administration had given Rs 25,000 each to the bereaved families of the deceased as immediate relief while Rs 5,000 each was given to the injured persons.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Mandi Sadar MLA Anil Sharma, senior Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur, chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Intellectual Cell Vijay Pal Singh and Congress leader Champa Thakur conveyed their condolences to the families of the deceased. Anil Sharma and Champa Thakur visited the injured persons at the Zonal Hospital to enquire after their health.