Shimla, March 26 – In a heart-wrenching accident late Tuesday night, four people lost their lives, including a mother-daughter duo, after a speeding car plunged into a 100-foot-deep gorge near Sheel village on the Anandpur-Mehli Bypass in the Baluganj police station area of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
Victims Identified, All Died on the Spot
According to Shimla Police, the ill-fated vehicle (HP 07 D 1154) was heading from Shoghi to Mehli when the driver reportedly lost control. The victims were identified as:
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Jai Singh Negi (40), son of Padam Negi, resident of Sanjauli – driver
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Rupa Suryavanshi (45), wife of Bhagwan Das – resident of Nabha, Shimla
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Pragati (14), daughter of Rupa Suryavanshi
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Mukul (10), son of Het Ram, neighbor of the deceased family
All four succumbed to their injuries on the spot due to the severity of the fall.
Rescue Operation Faced Challenges in the Dark
Local residents, after hearing the sound of the crash, alerted authorities. Rescue teams from Baluganj Police, SDRF, and the Fire Department rushed to the site. However, darkness and steep terrain made recovery operations difficult.
The bodies were retrieved after significant effort, and were handed over to the families after post-mortem on Wednesday morning, confirmed Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi.
Preliminary Cause: Speed and Lack of Crash Barriers
Initial investigations suggest that the accident occurred due to overspeeding, which caused the driver to lose control near the curve. Police are also probing the possibility of mechanical failure.
Residents pointed out that no crash barriers exist at the accident spot. Had safety barriers been installed, the accident might have been prevented, they added.
The Baluganj Police Station has registered a case, and further investigation into the exact cause of the accident is underway.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.