Himachal Pradesh: Four killed, five injured as vehicle plunges into gorge in Sirmaur

Four people were killed and five others injured after the vehicle they were travelling in rolled into a gorge on the SangrahPalar road in Himachal Pradeshrsquos Sirmaur district police said on WednesdayThe accident took place late Tuesday night in the Gat Log area of the Renuka Assembly constituency in Sangrah subdivision According to police the vehicle went out of control while travelling on the road veered off the carriageway and plunged into the gorgeThere were nine people in the vehicle at the time of the accident officials saidVehicle plunges into gorge late at nightPolice said the exact circumstances leading to the accident are yet to be established One of the survivors told police that the vehicle was overcrowded and that the driver may have lost control while negotiating a turnThe injured were taken to Dr YS Parmar Medical College in Nahan for treatment The condition of the injured was not immediately availableMost of those travelling in the vehicle were from Sirmaur district police said Authorities were working to establish the identities of those killed and injuredVillagers launch rescue operationLocal residents heard the sound of the crash and reached the site before informing the police They began efforts to rescue the occupants from the vehicle and helped bring the injured out of the gorgeA police team arrived after receiving information about the accident and joined the rescue operation with the help of villagers The injured were pulled out of the ditch and taken to a nearby hospital for first aid before being shifted for further treatmentThe rescue operation was difficult because of the depth of the gorge and the difficult terrain at the accident siteOne of the injured passengers said rescuers faced considerable difficulty while trying to remove the victims from the damaged vehiclePolice begin investigation into crashPolice have registered an investigation into the accident and are examining the circumstances that led to the vehicle losing controlThe exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined Investigators are expected to examine the condition of the vehicle the road and other factors that may have contributed to the accidentThe process of identifying the deceased and injured passengers was also underwayOfficials have not yet confirmed whether overloading was a direct cause of the accident The allegation regarding the number of occupants and the drivers handling of the vehicle is being examined as part of the investigationSirmaur has history of road accidentsRoad accidents remain a concern in the hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh where steep terrain narrow roads and difficult driving conditions can increase the risk of crashesAccording to police records factors such as rash driving overloading inexperienced drivers mechanically unfit vehicles and poor road conditions have contributed to accidents in the stateSirmaur district has also witnessed several road accidents over the years Police officials have previously raised concerns about vehicles operated by private transport operators and alleged reckless driving and inadequate training among some driversThe latest accident has again brought attention to road safety on routes passing through difficult terrain in the districtCause of accident yet to be establishedThe police investigation will determine whether the vehicle was overloaded and whether factors such as speed road conditions mechanical problems or driver error contributed to the crashThe identities of all the victims were being verified while the five injured passengers remained under medical careAuthorities are also examining the circumstances surrounding the vehicles journey and the events immediately before it veered off the SangrahPalar roadWith inputs from IANS