A joyous New Year and birthday celebration in the hills of Kasol ended in a devastating tragedy early Thursday morning, claiming the lives of four young friends. The group was returning to Kullu when their car met with a fatal accident on the Chandigarh-Manali highway.
The Fatal Journey Home
The incident occurred around 3 am near the Bhootnath bridge, a mere kilometre away from their residence in Kullu. According to preliminary information, the car, driven by 25-year-old tattoo artist Satpal, hit a roadside parapet. The impact caused the vehicle to swing across the road and collide head-on with a parked truck.
The victims have been identified as Satpal (25), a tattoo artist from Akhara Bazaar in Kullu town who was celebrating his birthday; Ankita (20) from Tandi in Lahaul-Spiti; Kashish (20) from Jallugran village in Kullu; and Ratanjali (20) from Sachani village near Bhuntar. The three women were living together in rented accommodation in Kullu.
Rescue Efforts and Aftermath
Alert passersby rushed to the scene of the accident and managed to extricate the injured friends. They were immediately taken to the nearby Regional Hospital. However, the injuries proved too severe for three of them, who succumbed on the way. Ratanjali was being shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nerchowk, Mandi, for advanced care but could not be saved.
While the police are still investigating the exact sequence of events, initial suspicion points towards high speed as a major contributing factor. "A case has been registered and the bodies were handed over to the families after the post-mortem examination," stated a police officer.
A Dangerous Day on Himachal Roads
This was not the only accident to mar the New Year period in Himachal Pradesh. In a separate incident in Mandi district on Thursday, five youngsters, aged between 15 and 20, were injured when their car plunged into a gorge on the Chailchowk-Janjheli road. The group was heading to the Janjheli valley for New Year celebrations when the accident happened near Kanda village. All five were admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nerchowk, Mandi.
In a stroke of fortune amidst the day's tragedies, two tourists had a narrow escape in Kullu. The vehicle they were travelling in fell into a rivulet. Quick action by eyewitnesses helped rescue the tourists, who sustained injuries but survived.
These consecutive incidents have once again highlighted the perils of night driving and speeding on the winding highways of Himachal Pradesh, especially during festive seasons when travel increases.
