Himachal Pradesh: 3 IIT BHU students among 7 killed as vehicle falls into gorge in Kullu

SHIMLA: Seven tourists, including three Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, (IIT BHU), Varanasi students, were killed and 10 sustained injuries as a tempo traveller fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district on Sunday evening, officials said. The accident took place at 8:30 pm near Ghiyaghi in Banjar subdivision, they said. Five tourists died on the spot while two others succumbed to injuries at the hospital, they added.

The deceased were identified as Saurabh, Priyanka Gupta, Kiran, a resident of Delhi, Rishab Raj, and Anshika Jain, Aditya, and Ananmaya from Uttar Pradesh, Kullu superintendent of police Gurdev Sharma said. The injured included Rahul Goswami, Kshitija Agarwal, Priyapal, Ishan Gupta from Haryana, driver Ajay Chauhan, Abhinav Singh, Nishtha Badoni from Uttar Pradesh, Rushav from New Delhi, Lakshaya from Rajasthan and Jai Aggarwal from Madhya Pradesh, he said.

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BJP MLA from Banjar Surender Shourie streamed a video on Facebook at 12.45 am on Monday, informing people about the accident that occurred in his Assembly segment. The injured were first taken to Banjar hospital from where they have been referred to Kullu regional hospital for treatment after being given first aid, the MLA said. The Banjar MLA thanked the district administration and the locals for carrying out rescue operation despite darkness.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Union minister Anurag Thakur, who hails from the state, expressed grief over the incident. "I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of seven people in a road accident in Kullu. May God give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families. Wishing speedy recovery to the injured," the chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

जिला कुल्लू में हुए दर्दनाक सड़क हादसे में 7 लोगों की मृत्यु वाली खबर सुनकर बहुत दुःखी हूं।

ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को शांति व शोकग्रस्त परिवारजनों को संबल प्रदान करें।

घायलों को स्वास्थ्य लाभ शीघ्र प्राप्त हो, ईश्वर से ऐसी प्रार्थना करता हूं।

— Jairam Thakur (@jairamthakurbjp) September 26, 2022

"The accident near Ghiyagi in Kullu is very sad. My condolences to the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery. May God give place to the departed souls," Anurag Thakur, the Union minister and Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh tweeted in Hindi.

कुल्लू के औट-लुहरी NH-305 पर घियागी के पास ट्रैवलर बस के खाई में पलटने से हुई दुर्घटना अत्यंत दुःखदाई है।

मेरी संवेदना शोकाकुल परिवारों के साथ है।घायलों के शीघ्र स्वास्थ्य लाभ की कामना करता हूँ। ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं अपने श्रीचरणों में स्थान दे।

ॐ शान्ति

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 26, 2022

(With inputs from PTI)