Three feared dead as oil tanker, jeep plunge into canal in Mandi
SEARCH OPS ON Divers called to search the 3 missing people
MANDI:THREE people were feared dead, while one was injured when an oil tanker and a jeep plunged into Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) Beas-sutlej Link (BSL) canal in Sundernagar town of Mandi district on Tuesday night.
The incident took place at around 11.45 pm on Chandigarhmanali highway.
Security personnel at the canal spotted the tanker floating at the control gate and informed the police.
The police team, after investigating the CCTV camera footage, informed that the jeep was parked along the road when the oil tanker hit the jeep from behind and both the vehicles plunged into the canal.
The three missing people have been identified as tanker driver Vikram Singh, resident of Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, Dharmender Kumar and Mani Ram from Thachi village of Bali Chowki tehsil in Mandi district.
Driver of the jeep Dile Ram, also from Bali Chowki, managed to jump off the vehicle seconds before it fell into the canal.
He was admitted to Sundernagar civil hospital and is said to be stable.
Sundernagar deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Tarnjeet Singh said the tanker was carrying fuel used for airplanes and was on its way to Leh from Ambala, while the jeep occupants were returning from Chandigarh.
The BBMB cranes recovered the oil tanker and jeep later in the day (Wednesday).
“The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained,” the DSP said, adding that the police have called the divers and search for the three missing persons is on.
A case has been registered in this regard and investigation is on, he said.
2 DEAD, 48 HURT AS BUS OVERTURNS IN CHAMBA
At least two persons died and 48 others were injured as a bus overturned in Chamba district on Wednesday, police said.
The incident happened after the private bus hit a crash barrier that prevented it from falling into a gorge at Luna vilage in Bharmour, around 420 km from Shimla.
The bus, carrying as many as 50 people, was on its way to Chhatrari village from Palampur hill station, said superintendent of police (SP) Monika Bhutungru.
Two persons lost their lives and around 48 others were injured, she said.
The deceased have been identified as 50-year-oldkaushalya, and 65-year-old Makholi, and the injured have been hospitalised, the SP added.