Rampur: A tragic road accident claimed six lives in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district after a pickup vehicle veered off the road and plunged nearly 500 metres into a deep gorge in the Rampur subdivision on Friday. The victims included a woman and her young son, while the driver also lost his life in the crash.
According to officials, the pickup vehicle was returning after delivering milk when the accident occurred. During the return journey, the driver had reportedly given lifts to five passengers travelling along the same route. The vehicle is believed to have lost control before falling into the gorge, leaving it completely mangled due to the impact.
Residents who witnessed the accident immediately alerted the police and local administration. Rescue teams, assisted by villagers, launched an operation to retrieve the victims from the difficult terrain. The bodies were later brought to the roadside and shifted to Taklech Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
The deceased have been identified as Abhishek Sani (23), Layak Ram (56), Ashok Jain (32), driver Nitin (23), Asha Kumari, and her son Yugal. Most of the victims belonged to villages in the Rampur region of Shimla district, while Asha Kumari and her son were residents of Anni in neighbouring Kullu district.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Officials are examining whether mechanical failure, overspeeding or road conditions contributed to the tragedy.
The incident has cast a shadow of grief over the Kashapat Panchayat area as well as neighbouring villages. Local residents joined rescue personnel throughout the operation, helping recover the victims from the steep gorge.
Rampur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Harsh Amrendra Singh expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said immediate financial assistance would be provided to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. Authorities have assured that all aspects of the accident will be thoroughly investigated.
