At least 40 pilgrims from Haryana were injured after a truck they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district on Tuesday, officials said.
The devotees had come to pay obeisance at Peer Nigah Temple in the district. After offering prayers at the temple, they were on their way to the Mata Naina Devi Temple when the accident took place, they said.
According to the police, more than 50 pilgrims from Indri in Karnal, Haryana, were on their way to visit Mata Naina Devi after paying obeisance at the Peer Nigah Temple. About two kilometers past Peer Nigah, while driving down a slope, the truck driver lost control of the vehicle, causing the truck to plunge into a gorge.
According to the police, the pilgrims had arrived two days earlier to offer prayers at the Peer Nigah Temple and organise a bhandara (community feast). On Tuesday morning, they had set out from Peer Nigah for the shrine of Mata Naina Devi. Somnath, an injured pilgrim who arrived at the hospital, said, “The truck was descending a slope when a pressure pipe burst, causing the steering to fail, and the vehicle plunged into a gorge.”
Medical superintendent of the Regional Hospital, Una, Dr Sanjay Mankotia said, “More than 40 pilgrims injured in the Peer Nigah accident were brought to the Regional Hospital in Una and are receiving treatment.”
{{/usCountry}}Medical superintendent of the Regional Hospital, Una, Dr Sanjay Mankotia said, “More than 40 pilgrims injured in the Peer Nigah accident were brought to the Regional Hospital in Una and are receiving treatment.”
{{/usCountry}}Three people, including a child whose condition was critical, have been referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, after receiving initial treatment, he said.
Union health minister JP Nadda, leader of Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, and BJP state chief Rajeev Bindal have expressed grief over the road accident and wished speedy recovery to the injured.