17 people die in Himachal road accident
Seventeen people including labourers and three officials from engineering force have died in a road accident in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh after the Lorry they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a 200 metre deep gorge, possibly due to slippery roads. The state has witnessed heavy snowfall during last three-four days.
IN A major road accident, seventeen passengers, including three officials from General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF), died after the Truck, they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a 200 feet gorge of river Sutlej, under Spillo police station of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
The cause of the accident is yet to be known. According to Veena Bharti, SP Kinnaur, nine of the labourers who died were from Jharkhand, while five were from Bihar who were working on contract with GREF. “Three officials of GREF travelling along with the labourers also lost their lives,” Bharti said. She said that under Pooh sub-division, GREF work was under progress and the 16 labourers and three officials stationed at Spillo, around 30 km from district headquarters Rekong Peo, were on their way to the work site.
Meanwhile StateChief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal expressed grief over the death of labourers and officials of General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF). Chief Minister in his condolence message prayed to the Almighty to give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family members to bear the irreparable loss.
According to sources on finding the roads to Pooh blocked due to snow, the driver decided to return to Spillo but on their way back the vehicle skidded and fell into a 200 feet gorge of river Sutlej. The injured were rescued after a Herculean task by police, PWD workers who pulled them out with the help of cranes and other means. They were identified as Suna Oraon and Giridhar, both from Gumla district of Jharkhand.
The injured were rushed to civil hospital and are said to have suffered multiple injuries. “The accident took place around 1 pm and as soon as reports reached the headquarters, rescue teams were sent with ambulances,” the SP informed.
“The bodies are being identified and company officials are helping the police in identification,” said Bharti adding, that due to snowfall in past three-four days in the area, the roads were slippery due to which the lorry might have skidded.
GREF is a wing of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) engaged in maintaining and constructing roads in hilly areas of the State.
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