Dharamshala (HP), Jul 28 (PTI) Two people were killed after a 16-wheeler truck plunged into a deep gorge on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway near the ’53 Mile’ area in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, police said on Tuesday.
The truck driver allegedly fled the scene following the accident late on Monday night, abandoning the vehicle and the two persons who died on the spot, they said.
According to police, the Punjab-registered truck was crossing the bridge connecting ’53 Mile’ and Kholi when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which rammed into the bridge’s concrete safety railing before plunging into the gorge below.
The truck suffered extensive damage due to the severity of the collision, and the loud noise alerted nearby
residents. Locals rushed to the spot, informed the police, and joined the rescue operation.
The deceased have been identified as Manu Mahajan (39), a resident of Kaisthwadi village in Nagrota tehsil, and Randhir Lumba (51), a resident of Ward No 4 in Nagrota Bagwan. Both were from Kangra district.
Eyewitnesses said three persons, including the driver, were travelling in the truck. However, by the time the victims were extricated from the mangled vehicle, Manu Mahajan and Randhir Lumba had already succumbed to their injuries. The driver allegedly escaped from the scene before police arrived, they said.
A police team reached the accident site soon after receiving information, recovered the bodies, and sent them for post-mortem. A case has been registered, and an investigation has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
Police have initiated a search for the absconding driver and are in contact with the Punjab-based transporter to establish the driver’s identity and determine the circumstances leading to the fatal crash. PTI COR BPL SKY SKY
