A tragic road accident in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district has left seven people dead, including six members of the same family. The accident happened late on Wednesday night when their SUV lost control and fell into a deep ravine.
The victims were returning home after attending a religious function when the accident took place.
Police said the vehicle, a Mahindra Bolero, was travelling on a narrow link road near Chhatrund on the Chamba-Masroond road. The road is in a remote area and does not have safety crash barriers.
This made the accident even more dangerous.
The vehicle reportedly skidded off the road around midnight and rolled deep into the gorge.
Because the road was isolated and there were no people nearby, the accident was not noticed immediately.
It was only on Thursday morning that local villagers saw the damaged vehicle and informed the police.
By then, all seven people inside had died.
The accident has shocked the entire area and left the victims’ families in deep sorrow.
According to police, six of the victims were from the same family and belonged to Mehal village under Kuthed gram panchayat.
They had gone to Kakroda village to attend a traditional mundan ceremony. A mundan is a Hindu ritual where a child’s hair is shaved for the first time.
After the ceremony ended, the family started their journey back home late at night.
Sadly, they never reached.
Police identified the deceased family members as Chunni Lal, aged 65, Devi Lal, 62, and Moti Ram, 53. Also among the victims were Moti Ram’s wife Babli Devi, 45, Devi Lal’s wife Kunta Devi, 53, and Anita Kumari, 20.
The seventh person who died was the driver, Manohar Lal, 34, from Jhulara village.
A 20-year-old relative of the family is said to be the only surviving member. He had not attended the ceremony and stayed back at home.
This means he lost almost his entire family in one night.
The tragic news spread quickly through the village, leaving everyone in shock.
Neighbours and relatives gathered at the family’s house after hearing about the accident.
Many said it is one of the worst tragedies the village has seen in recent years.
People described the victims as kind and respected members of the community.
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Chamba Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar Saklani said that all seven people died on the spot because of the severe impact.
He said local volunteers and police teams worked together to recover the bodies.
Since the ravine was deep and the area difficult to reach, rescue work was not easy.
Officials formed a human chain to bring the bodies out safely.
The bodies were later sent for post-mortem.
Police have registered a case and started an investigation.
At this stage, the exact cause of the accident is not confirmed.
However, preliminary reports suggest that the driver may have fallen asleep while driving.
Another possibility is that he may have suddenly turned the vehicle to avoid an animal crossing the road.
Police said they found no signs of a collision with another vehicle.
This means it was likely a case of loss of control.
Officials also pointed out that the road did not have protective barriers, which may have made the fall worse.
Road safety remains a major concern in many hilly parts of Himachal Pradesh.
Narrow roads, sharp turns, poor lighting, and lack of barriers often increase the risk of accidents.
Local people have demanded better road safety measures after this incident.
They said crash barriers should be installed on dangerous roads to prevent such tragedies.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed sadness over the accident.
He offered condolences to the families of the victims.
The Chief Minister also directed the district administration to provide all possible help to the affected families.
Government officials are expected to visit the area and review road conditions.
The tragedy has once again raised questions about road safety in hill states.
Many believe stronger safety systems and better road maintenance can save lives.
For now, the people of Mehal village are mourning the sudden loss of six family members.
What was meant to be a joyful religious celebration ended in heartbreak.
The painful accident serves as a reminder of how dangerous mountain roads can be, especially at night.
As the investigation continues, the community hopes such a tragedy never happens again.
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