3 Punjab pilgrims dead, 13 injured as trolley falls into gorge in Kangra

Kullu: Three devotees from Kapurthala in Punjab died and at least 13 others were injured when the tractor trolley they were travelling in to visit the Jwalamukhi temple fell into a gorge near Dhaliara in Dehra sub-division of Kangra district on Friday afternoon.According to police, 35 people, including children, were travelling in a tractor trolley towards Jwalamukhi temple on National Highway 503 after offering prayers at Chintpurni Temple when the driver lost control of the vehicle due to suspected brake failure at a sharp turn near Dhaliara, and it plunged into a 90-feet-deep gorge. Upon receiving the information, a police team from Dehra Police Station reached the spot and, with the help of local people present at the site, shifted the injured to Civil Hospital in Dehra. The medical officer at the hospital declared 3 people dead, while the treatment of 13 injured persons is ongoing, said an officer of the Dehra police. Six critically injured persons have been referred to Dr Rajendra Prasad Govt Medical College (RGMC), Tanda, for further treatment.Out of the total passengers, 9 children and several others were found completely safe and without any injuries, added the officer. The deceased have been identified as Mangal Singh, 50, Manpreet Singh, 22, and Gursharan Singh, all residents of village Bhandal Dhona in Kapurthala district of Punjab. "We have informed the families of the deceased and the injured. A case has been registered at Dehra Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act. Evidence has been collected from the site, and a detailed investigation into the actual cause of the accident is underway," said an officer. MSID: 130171274 413 |