A tragic accident claimed six lives in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district when an SUV carrying tourists from Gujarat plunged into a gorge amid heavy rain early Monday morning.
Officials said the Toyota Innova, carrying ten passengers, lost control around 3 AM due to stormy weather and continuous rainfall since Sunday night. The crash killed six people instantly, including four men, two women, and a child.
The victims were identified as Lalitbhai Patnani, Mamtaben Lalitbhai Patnani of Bhavnagar, Priyank Kanhaiyalal Bhopani, his wife Kajal, their child Diyansh, and the driver Jaswant Kumar (51) of Mandi district.
Four others sustained critical injuries. Among them were Mayank Lalitbhai Patnani (31), Foramben Mayank Patnani (31), three-year-old Jiansh Patnani, and Priyanshi Bhopani (3). Locals and rescue teams rushed the injured to the nearest health centre for immediate treatment. Three were later referred to Tanda Medical College for advanced care.
Police reached the site quickly and began investigating the cause of the accident. Authorities said poor visibility and slippery roads contributed to the tragedy.
