A father and son were killed after their truck (HP-65A-3396) skidded off the Manali-Leh highway and plunged into a deep gorge in Lahaul on Wednesday. The accident occurred on the Kiling Sarai-Bharatpur road stretch when the driver reportedly lost control over the wheel due to slippery road conditions and the truck veered off the road and fell into the steep ravine. A large-scale rescue operation was launched soon after the authorities were alerted. Personnel of the local police, Indian Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), ITBP and members of the local truckers’ community launched a rescue operation. However, despite coordinated efforts, the rescuers faced considerable difficulty while retrieving the bodies from the wreckage of the truck from the deep gorge. The deceased were identified as Liyaqat Ali and his son Durshad, both residents of Uba village in Mandi district.

According to the District Disaster Management Authority, the bodies were shifted to the Regional Hospital, Keylong, for a post-mortem examination.

Keylong SP Shivani Mehla said that a preliminary investigation indicated that the driver lost control over the wheel due to the slippery road and the truck plunged into the gorge. A case has been registered and a detailed investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the accident.

Caption: The mangled remains of the truck that fell into the gorge on Manali-Leh highway near Bharatpur in Lahaul on Thursday.