Kalka-Shimla national highway: 1 dead, three injured as SUV hit by shooting stones

One person was killed and three others, including the driver and women, were injured when stones falling from hilltops hit their vehicle on Kalka-Shimla national highway in Solan district, police said on Monday.

According to the police, around 2:30 am, an SUV carrying four people and newspapers was on its way to Shimla when several shooting stones from the hills suddenly hit the front of the vehicle near Datyar and Chaki Mor, leading to the incident. According to the information, the SUV, with registration number PB 08CP-9686, was transporting newspapers to Shimla.

One person, identified as Dev Raj Singh (40), the occupant of the SUV died. Three other occupants sustained serious injuries and were admitted to ESI Hospital, Parwanoo.

“This stretch had witnessed intermittent rains in the last few days and was closed for vehicular movement”, the police said, adding that vehicles were using the other lane on the highway.

The victim, Dev Raj (40), was a resident of Punjab, Solan superintendent of police (SP) Gaurav Singh said.

The injured, Kuldeep Singh (driver), Bhavuk and Vandana Sondhi, are undergoing treatment at ESI Hospital, Parwanoo, the police added.

Further investigations are ongoing, the SP said.

Meanwhile, heavy rains in the last 24 hours disrupted the normal traffic in the state with authorities reporting more than 80 roads, including lateral and main roads, closed due to mudslides. In another incident, a car was buried under debris on the Mehli Shoghi road due to a landslide.

Geabong village in Kinnaur was hit by a cloud burst damaging apple orchards. A house belonging to one Hari Singh was buried in the muck slide while another was partially damaged.

Rain also damaged the water supply schemes. National Highway 5, leading to the Sino-Indian border, was blocked due to shooting stones at Nigulsari. A landslide was also reported in the Baghi village in Shimla district’s Kotkhai sub-division.

In Kullu, heavy rains lashed the high mountainous regions with the water level in the Beas rising. The authorities have evacuated five houses.

The India Meteorological Office has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una. Despite the monsoon gaining momentum, the state still has a rainfall deficit of 34%, the IMD said.

The IMD, Shimla centre has issued a yellow alert for rain in the entire state till August 3. A yellow alert has been issued for the next three days while an orange alert for heavy rain has been issued for August 1. “An orange alert has been issued for Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, and Sirmaur districts. At the same time, on Tuesday, there may be heavy rain at some places in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una,” the IMD officials said.

(With inputs from Agencies)