Chamba: A pilgrimage to the revered Manimahesh shrine ended in tragedy after a falling boulder struck an SUV carrying devotees from Punjab in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district during the early hours of Wednesday. One pilgrim lost his life, while three others escaped the incident.
According to police, the accident occurred at around 3 a.m. near Mehla on the Chamba-Bharmour highway when a large rock suddenly dislodged from a hillside and landed on the moving Thar vehicle. The boulder smashed through the vehicle’s sunroof before striking one of the occupants.
The deceased has been identified as Makhan Singh (40), a resident of Maliyan village in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district. He was travelling with three friends to offer prayers at the Manimahesh pilgrimage. After sustaining severe injuries, he was rushed to Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital in Chamba, where doctors declared him dead.
Police and local administration officials reached the spot soon after receiving information about the mishap. The body has been taken into custody and sent for post-mortem examination, while legal formalities are underway. Authorities have also informed the victim’s family about the incident.
Officials said all four occupants of the vehicle were from Punjab, and the remaining three passengers escaped without serious injuries.
The incident comes amid persistent rainfall across Himachal Pradesh, which has triggered landslides and rockfall at several locations in the hill state. Roads leading to higher reaches, particularly the Chamba-Bharmour stretch, are considered vulnerable during the monsoon due to unstable slopes.
With the annual Manimahesh Yatra set to begin shortly, authorities have once again urged pilgrims and motorists to exercise extreme caution while travelling through mountainous areas, especially during periods of heavy rain, when the risk of landslides and falling rocks increases significantly.
