SHIMLA: Seven people including six police personnel were killed and four others were injured after the SUV they were in rolled down into a river on Tissa-Bairagarh road in Churah sub-division of Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district on Friday morning.
The policemen, all from the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion, were on patrolling duty in the area, which borders Jammu and Kashmir, when the accident happened.
The deceased cops were identified as sub-inspector Rakesh Gora, head constable Parveen and constable Kamaljeet, constable Sachin, constable Abhishek, and constable Lakshay. The SUV driver Chandu Ram also died in the accident.
The injured include constable Sachin Kumar, head constable Rajender Kumar, constable Akshay Chaudhary and Pankaj Kumar, a local resident of Churah.
According to police, prima facie the accident happened after the driver lost control. A police officer said that there were total 11 people in the SUV including nine cops and the accident happened near Tarwai bridge at around 9.30 am.
The injured were taken to the nearby government hospital in Tissa from where they were referred to the zonal hospital in Chamba.
Meanwhile, Churah MLA Hans Raj, who visited the spot in the morning accused the Public Works Department of negligence.
Demanding an inquiry into the accident, the MLA said that the accident happened due to a landslide. He said that landslides were frequently occurring at many points on this road and despite repeated demands the PWD department did not take any action.
"We had got this road closed also and asked the PWD department to take necessary measures to ensure that no mishap occurs on this road. I had specifically asked them to cut the mountain where there was a possibility of landslides. But the department did not do anything and today this unfortunate accident happened," said the MLA.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri have expressed their grief at the accident and ordered immediate monetary relief to the kin of the deceased and medical assistance to the injured.
According to DIG (Northern Range) Abhishek Dular, who visited the accident spot, the SUV fell down into the river after it was hit by a boulder at a landslide-prone area on the Tissa-Baraghar road.
“The vehicle rolled down 150-200 meters after it was hit by a boulder and plunged into a river. This particular spot on the road is highly landslide-prone,” said the DIG, adding that only those who survived fell out of the SUV while it was rolling down the hill.
