Ex-Jharkhand CM Soren’s grandson dies in Manali, police rule out foul play; high-altitude sickness likely cause

Kullu: Veer Soren, the 19-year-old grandson of former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren and son of Babulal Soren, died after falling ill in Manali on Tuesday.Police have ruled out foul play. Although Champai Soren reached Manali on Wednesday, the family declined to give consent for post-mortem. "The family members told police they did not find anything suspicious in the death; therefore, a post-mortem was not conducted. We have handed over the body to the family," Manali DSP K D Sharma told TOI. The DSP added that the death may have been caused by high-altitude sickness, as Veer and his friends had visited high-elevation areas surrounding Manali. Veer arrived on Feb 22 and stayed at a homestay in Simsa. According to a statement given to police by Veer's friend, Agnay Verma, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, the group visited Solang Valley and Sethan village—located at approximately 3,000 metres on the Hamta Pass route—on Feb 23 before returning to their homestay that evening. The next day, Feb 24, Veer remained in his room after feeling unwell while his friends went for a walk around 12:30 pm. When the friends returned, they found Veer sleeping. Upon being woken, he complained of a severe headache. According to the statement, the friends ordered medicine via a grocery app; however, after taking the medication, Veer went back to sleep. Around 2:30 pm, his friends heard a thud and found Veer unconscious on the floor with foam forming around his mouth. They immediately rushed him to the civil hospital in Manali. Despite doctors administering CPR, he was declared dead upon arrival. "The investigating officer inspected the body and took photographs. No external injury marks were found," a police officer said. In a social media post on Wednesday, Champai Soren expressed the family's grief, "Veer's death has shattered our family. We inform with deep sorrow that our beloved grandson passed away untimely on Feb 24, 2026. After his health suddenly deteriorated in Manali, he was taken to the hospital, but fate had something else in store." Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also condoled the death, calling it an "irreparable loss". MSID:: 128783957 413 |