Six people, including five tourists from Gujarat and a local driver, were killed in the early hours of Monday when their SUV skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Kakira in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district. The group was travelling from Manali to Dalhousie when the accident occurred around 3 am.
The deceased tourists were identified as Lalit Bhai Fatnani, his wife Mamta Ben Fatnani, Priyank Kanihya Lal Bhopani, his wife Kajal Bhopani, and their son Divyansh Bhopani. All were residents of Sindhi Colony, Ghogha Circle, in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. The driver, Jaswant Kumar, was a resident of the Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh.
Four other passengers survived the crash with injuries and three of them are reported to be in critical condition due to severe head trauma. The injured have been identified as Mayank Lalit Bhai Fatnani, Forem Ben Mayank Fatnani, and two children: Jiyansh Fatnani and Priyanshi Bhopani.
The survivors were rushed to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital (RPGMC), Tanda, in Kangra for specialised treatment.
The police said the region was experiencing severe weather, including heavy rain, at the time of the accident. The vehicle, an Innova Crysta, lost traction on a narrow, single-lane state road and tumbled approximately 150 meters down the hillside.
“Preliminary investigation suggests there were ten people, including the driver, in the vehicle,” Vijay Kumar Saklani, Superintendent of Police (SP) Chamba, told The Indian Express. “The tourists belonged to two families from Gujarat. Six died on the spot, while the condition of three of the four injured remains critical.”
The meteorological department had previously issued a weather alert for the region, warning of adverse conditions. Chamba Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal urged travellers to exercise extreme caution.
“Tourists should avoid travelling during active weather alerts. We have initiated the process to distribute ex gratia relief to the families of the victims,” Repaswal said.
The bodies have been moved to a local government hospital for post-mortem examinations, and the victims’ families in Gujarat have been notified. The local police have registered a case and are continuing their investigation into the crash.
