Chamba, May 31
In one of the deadliest road accidents in Himachal Pradesh this year, eight tourists, including two children, lost their lives after their vehicle plunged nearly 500 metres into a deep gorge on the Bairagarh–Sach Pass–Kilad road in Chamba district.
The mishap occurred on Saturday afternoon in the remote Kalavan area, and the challenging terrain has made the rescue operation one of the toughest undertaken in the region.
According to police, the victims belonged to two families from Bengaluru who were visiting Himachal Pradesh. They had hired a Maruti Ertiga taxi from Dalhousie on Saturday and left around noon to enjoy the snow-covered landscapes and mountain views near Sach Pass.
When the vehicle failed to return by evening, the taxi owner became concerned and began searching for information about its whereabouts. Using the vehicle’s GPS tracking system, he found that the car had remained stationary for a prolonged period near Kalavan. Suspecting an accident, local residents and authorities launched a search operation.
The wrecked vehicle was eventually located at the bottom of a deep ravine. Due to the extremely rugged terrain, steep slopes, adverse weather conditions and the absence of road access, rescue teams were unable to immediately recover the bodies.
Officials said the area lacks mobile network connectivity, creating additional challenges in coordinating rescue efforts. The administration pressed local residents, police personnel and rescue workers into service, who formed human chains and used ropes to reach the accident site and retrieve the bodies.
Authorities described the operation as one of the most difficult rescue missions in recent years because of the inaccessible location and hazardous conditions. Efforts are underway to recover all the bodies and bring them to the roadhead. The deceased will be handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident. The exact circumstances leading to the vehicle’s plunge into the gorge remain unclear.
The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over the region and once again highlighted the risks associated with travel on the high-altitude mountain roads of Himachal Pradesh.
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