Kullu: The joy of ushering in the New Year turned into grief in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district after a late-night road accident near Bhootnath Bridge claimed three lives in the early hours of Thursday.
The incident occurred around 1 am when a car returning from Kasol lost control on the Kullu bypass road and hit a parapet near the bridge before crashing into a truck parked along the roadside. The impact of the collision was so severe that three occupants of the car died on the spot, while a fourth passenger, a woman, sustained critical injuries.
The injured woman was immediately shifted to Kullu hospital, where doctors said she remains in a serious condition and is under continuous medical observation. Police confirmed that one of the deceased has been identified as Satpal, a resident of Kullu, while the identities of the two other victims, both women, are yet to be established.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Satpal had travelled to Kasol with three friends on December 31 to celebrate his birthday and welcome the New Year. The group was on its way back to Kullu when the accident took place. Satpal was a tattoo artist who operated a studio in Akhara Bazar, and news of his sudden death has cast a pall of gloom over the town.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. Officials said they are examining factors such as vehicle speed, road conditions and the circumstances surrounding the parked truck. Post-mortem examinations of the deceased will be conducted at Kullu hospital later in the day, after which the bodies will be handed over to their families for last rites.
