Shimla: 13 including three couples killed in road accident

Thirteen people, including three couples, died after a vehicle veered off a road and fell into a deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district Saturday, a police official said.

The accident happened at Sanail, three kilometres from Kuddu on Tiyuni Road. The ill-fated Trax vehicle (bearing registration number HP 02 0695) was on its way to Tiyuni from Swara.

All the thirteen occupants were killed in the accident, Shimla Superintendent of Police Omapati Jamwal said.

While 10 of them died on the spot, three succumbed to injuries at Rohru hospital, Jamwal said.

The deceased included eight members of three families. Three couples were among the deceased.

The deceased have been identified as Matvar Singh (48), his wife Basanti Devi (44), their son Munish (24), Prem Singh (38), his wife Poonam (30), their daughter Ridhima (6), Attar Singh (44), his wife Munna Devi (40), Bittu (42), Bandi Devi (48), Ner Singh (35), Manoj (35) and Anil (28).

A police team led by Jubbal Station House Officer and Swara police post in-charge reached the site shortly after getting information about the accident. The team rescued three injured people and sent them to Rohru hospital but they died, Jamwal added.