Boulder Kills 13 in Himachal Pradesh Landslide

Thirteen people, including a six-month-old infant, died when a massive boulder fell from a hillside, crushing their passenger vehicle in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul Spiti district on Friday. The tragic incident occurred on the Udaipur-Killar road near Kaddu Nallah, approximately 60 km from Lahaul Valley.

The victims were residents of Pangi Valley, a remote tribal region in Chamba district, and were en route from Kullu to Pangi. Preliminary reports indicate the vehicle, a Tata Sumo, was completely buried under debris following a landslide and rockfall. The passengers had reportedly stayed overnight at Tindi after the road was blocked on Thursday and resumed their journey Friday morning when the disaster struck.

Deputy Commissioner Kiran Bhadana confirmed that joint rescue operations involving police, local administration, and the Border Roads Organisation were immediately launched to clear the landslide. The process of identifying the deceased is ongoing. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the deputy commissioner to personally supervise rescue and relief efforts and ensure all possible assistance is provided to the victims' next of kin.

Local MLA Anuradha Rana stated that the deceased include seven males and four females, with the infant's gender not yet identified. The identity of one individual remains unconfirmed, and a DNA test will be conducted. Authorities are urging the public to avoid traveling on landslide-prone routes during the current heavy rainfall spell and to heed official advisories.

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The identity of one person is yet to be ascertained and a DNA test for the same will be conducted.