K'taka BJP chief mourns death of 7 B'luru residents in Himachal accident, urges aid for families
Bengaluru, June 1
BJP Karnataka President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday expressed shock and grief over the death of seven Bengaluru residents in a tragic road accident near Sach Pass in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.
In a statement posted on social media, Vijayendra said he was deeply saddened to learn that a total of eight people, including seven members of two families from Bengaluru, lost their lives in the horrific accident that occurred while they were on a vacation.
"It is extremely shocking to learn that eight people, including seven members of two Bengaluru families, were killed in the tragic accident near Sach Pass in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. It is truly heartbreaking that families who had gone on a holiday met with such a tragic end," he said.
Vijayendra urged the Karnataka government to coordinate with the Himachal Pradesh government to ensure all necessary assistance is provided to the bereaved families.
He called upon the state government to facilitate the transportation of the mortal remains of the victims back to Bengaluru and extend all possible support to the affected families during this difficult time.
Praying for the departed souls, Vijayendra expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and said he hoped they would find the strength to cope with the irreparable loss.
"I pray for eternal peace for the departed souls and for God to give the grieving family members the strength to bear this unexpected tragedy," he said.
It can be noted that a tragic road accident in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district claimed eight lives after a tourist taxi plunged into a deep gorge near Sach Pass. The vehicle was travelling on the Bairagarh-Killar route when it met with the fatal accident at a sharp bend near Kalaban.
The accident occurred when the car was going towards the snow-bound Sach Pass, one of the toughest stretches in Himachal Pradesh, the officials said.
Police said a car carrying tourists fell into a steep gorge around midnight on the 29th of May. Following an intensive search and rescue operation carried out under difficult terrain conditions, authorities recovered all eight bodies from the accident site.
According to police, the tourists had arrived in Himachal Pradesh for sightseeing and were staying at a hotel in Dalhousie. They had left for Sach Pass on the 29th of May but did not return by evening. The hotel management informed the police, following which a search operation was launched.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking news. Seven lives from Bengaluru lost just like that. Families going on a holiday, expecting joy, and then this tragedy. Vijayendra's call for coordination between Karnataka and Himachal is necessary, but honestly, why do such accidents keep happening on these ghat roads? Better enforcement of vehicle fitness and local guide requirements for tourists in high-risk areas is the need of the hour. Om Shanti 🙏
Condolences to the families. But I noticed the article says the car plunged into a gorge around midnight. Were these tourists driving at night on such a tough stretch? That's risky. I feel for them, but we also need to educate people about not attempting remote mountain roads after dark. RIP.
This is so sad. I was in Himachal last year and saw how narrow and dangerous those roads can be, especially near Sach Pass. The authorities should have better signage and emergency response systems. It's good that the bodies were recovered quickly despite the difficult terrain. Thoughts and prayers to the victims' families.
As a frequent traveler myself, this hits hard. The article mentions that the tourists were staying at a hotel in Dalhousie—so why didn't the hotel or local tourism office provide any warning about road conditions? In many developed hill stations, they do daily road safety briefings for tourists. We need that here. Also, Vijayendra's appeal is fine, but I think the state RTO should take notice and perhaps mandate strict verification of vehicles used for tourist taxis. Rest in peace.
Very unfortunate. Two families gone in a single accident. Let's not forget that in such remote areas
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