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Six people, including five jawans, were killed in a landslide in Churah sub-division of Chamba district. The incident occurred when an SUV carrying 11 people, including nine IRB jawans, was hit by the landslide and fell into a rivulet. Four others were critically injured and one person is still missing. Churah MLA Hansraj blamed the public works department officials for the mishap and demanded an FIR against them. HT Correspondent reported
Six individuals, comprising of five soldiers from the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), tragically lost their lives in a devastating landslide incident in the remote Churah sub-division of Chamba district. The incident occurred on Friday morning when the SUV they were traveling in was swept away by the force of the landslide, plunging into a nearby rivulet. Additionally, four people sustained severe injuries, while one person is currently missing and presumed to be in danger.
The unfortunate incident took place near Tarwai bridge, approximately 75 kilometers away from the district headquarters in Chamba, along the Tissa-Bairagarh-Pangi road. The SUV was carrying a total of 11 individuals, nine of whom were IRB jawans on patrol duty.
Churah subdivisional magistrate, Joginder Patial, confirmed that the injured victims were immediately rushed to Tissa Hospital and later transferred to the Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital in Chamba for further medical assistance.
Efforts are currently underway to locate the missing individual. The deceased have been identified as sub-inspector Rakesh Gaura, head constable Praveen Tandon, and constables Kamaljeet, Sachin, and Abishek. The driver of the vehicle, Chandu Ram, who was a local resident, also tragically lost his life.
In the midst of this tragic incident, Churah MLA Hansraj, who visited the accident site, placed blame on officials from the public works department (PWD) for their alleged negligence. MLA Hansraj claimed that this particular area has experienced frequent landslides, resulting in the closure of the road upon their request. However, he accused PWD officials of reopening the road without adequately addressing the presence of dangerously hanging boulders and debris, ultimately leading to this fatal mishap.
Expressing his frustration, MLA Hansraj highlighted that he had previously written to the government and raised concerns on social media, urging for the road to remain closed until it was safe to travel. Regrettably, his pleas went unanswered.
MLA Hansraj demanded that an FIR be filed against the PWD officials responsible for their negligence, as their actions contributed to the loss of six precious lives. He further called for a thorough inquiry to determine accountability in this matter.
As of now, PWD officials have not provided any comments on the incident..
