Himachal News- Truck plunges into deep gorge near Himachal Boarder, 20 pilgrims from Punjab die

Dharamsala/Jalandhar/Chandigarh, October 10, 2013: On Himachal – Punjab boarder near Hoshiarpur, on midnight a mini- truck full of devotees from Kapurthala ,Punjab, plunged into the deep gorge due to brake failure killing 20 people while 40 people injured. The dead included three children. The injured were rushed to hospitals in Hoshiarpur where some people remain critical.

According to the information about this incident which occurred last night, half past ten o'clock on  Hoshiarpur - Chintpuarni national highway . All aboard the mini- trucks were returning home from Chintpuarni Temple in Himachal Pradesh. Majority of the truck passengers were sleeping when the vehicle met its fate near village Manguwal about 16 kilometers away from the village Hoshiarpur .

The relief work was hampered  due to night.  Police removed people from ditch with the help of passers- by. Hoshiarpur  SSP on receiving news of the accident, rushed to the spot with his team and rushed the injured to the hospitals in Hoshiarpur. Most of the victims are being mentioned in the same family.

Chintpuarni is located in the district of Una in Himachal. Chintpuarni, a major pilgrimage center for Hindus and one of the benches located across the country 's 51 Shakti Peethas  .

During the Navratras many Hindu devotees visit Devi temples of Una and Kangra district of Himachal. And due to the less expensive mode majority of them use vehicles like trucks to visit the area. In the past years it is observed that many such unauthorised transport lorries met with fetal accidents in Himachal. Himachal government has already banned such vehicles to carry passengers in the state, but still such carriers are coming to Himachal from neighboring states during the current Navratras .

Balbir Thakur, SSP Kangra at Dharamsala said that police at the moment is challaning   these vehicles, but may cancels their permits if they does not stop carrying passengers.

MEANWHILE, a report from Jalandhar said:

“Congress party condoles the gruesome and horrific death of 20 innocent citizens including women and children in a tragic accident near Hoshiarpur last night. Congress demands a minimum of Rs. 5 lac as Ex-Gratia grant for those killed in the accident, as they are extremely poor scheduled caste families of Bholath, District Kapurthala.

In a statement here today, the PPCC Official Spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira said as reported, 20 innocent pilgrims died and 40 were seriously injured, when a mini truck carrying pilgrims crashed into a gorge near Hoshiarpur. Most of these pilgrims belong to Village Bajaj and Village Fatehpur of Bholath constituency.

 Needless to mention, more than 5000 people are killed in road accidents each year in Punjab and an equal number are permanently handicapped for life. In other words 10-15 precious human lives are lost each day on the roads of the state, due to road accidents. There will not be a single family in the state, which has not been affected directly or indirectly due to the road accidents.

He said only in march this year, 13 innocent school children were killed on the spot near Nakodar, when a truck rammed head on to the school van carrying these small children. Although, there was a lot of hue and cry from the parents of these children and the concerned citizens of the area but to no avail.

He added the Badal government must hang its head in shame, that despite a huge no. of deaths of ordinary citizens due to road accidents in Punjab annually, it has deputed only 1820 traffic police men for the whole state, while there are 4120 security personnel to guard 1294 VIP’s. This is not only a cruel joke with the people but amounts rubbing salt on the wounds of those affected by road accidents.

Most deaths on road accidents can actually be termed murders, since drivers indulge in gross negligence and have no fear of law. Police are more busy ensuring the safety of VVIP’s like the Badal-Sukhbir-Majithia troika, while the ordinary are left at the mercy of god on our roads.

Punjab has world’s most deadliest roads with reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and present ineffective road laws that are the main reasons for the loss of precious lives. We need to amend week our laws, such as 304 of the IPC, death due to negligent driving which are ineffective and bailable within no time.

Therefore, Congress questions the CM and the Dy.CM as to how many more deaths on our roads would be enough before they start taking concrete action. It is also suggested that let the VIP’s of Punjab shed their personal securitymen, so that they can be deployed for the safety of the ordinary people.

“Congress party demands a minimum of Rs. 5 lac as Ex- Gratia grant for those killed in the tragic accident, as they are extremely poor scheduled caste families of Bholath, District Kapurthala”, he said.

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today expressed deep shock and anguish over the tragic accident, in which a truck carrying pilgrims fell into a gorge near Manguwal barrier (Hoshiarpur) while returning from Chintpurni late last evening, which claimed 20 lives and injuring 17 of which three seriously injured. All the deceased were from Bajaj and Fethehpur villages of Kapurthala District.

Badal shared his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and prayed to the Almighty to give them courage to bear huge loss in this hour of crisis and grant peace to the departed souls.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also announced an ex -gratia grant of Re one lac each to the next of kin of the deceased and free medical treatment to the injured in the government hospitals, besides a financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 to each of the injured undergoing treatment in the private hospitals.  He also directed the Civil and Police administration to extend all possible help to ensure best and free treatment to all the injured in order to save the precious lives and make elaborate arrangements to send the bodies of  the victims at their native places.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Revenue and Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia also shared their heartfelt condolences over this tragic incident. www.cityairnews.com