37 Killed as Truck Swerves into Gorge in Himachal
At least 37 people, including 21 women and seven children, were killed and an equal number were injured when an overcrowded truck skidded off the road and fell into a 200-foot deep gorge in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, said reports citing the police.
The victims, mostly from Sudhani village, were on their way home after attending a ceremony when the truck ferrying them fell into a gorge near Guru Kotha village in Balh Valley at around 5 pm, some 175 km from state capital Shimla.
Most victims belonged to closely-knit families of the district. The injured were admitted to the Zonal Hospital in Mandi and Civil Hospital in Sundernagar.
Witnesses said the vehicle was overcrowded and the ostensibly inebriated driver probably lost control while negotiating a turn.
Governor Urmila Singh, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh, who represents the Mandi parliamentary constituency, expressed grief over the accident.
Dhumal said compensation would be paid to next of kin of the deceased as per government norms.
(Based on Media Reports)
