A 28-year-old man died and a woman was seriously injured after their car plunged about 400 metres into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, police said on Thursday.
The accident took place late Wednesday evening in the Narghota area near Dharamshala.
The man who died has been identified as Akshay, a resident of Shila Chowk in Dharamshala. Police said he used to teach stock market trading. The injured woman is a resident of Khaniyara and is pursuing a PhD in Mathematics in Mohali. She was first taken to Dharamshala Hospital for treatment, then referred to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, and later shifted to PGI Chandigarh. Officials said her condition remains critical.
Police said the two had reportedly gone to the Narghota area for an outing.
An eyewitness said both had been taking photos and videos near the roadside shortly before the accident. A little later, as they were about to leave, the eyewitness heard a loud crash. He said the car appeared to go out of control and rolled down into the gorge.
Local residents rushed to the spot and managed to pull the two out after nearly one and a half hours.
Police have registered a case and started an investigation into the accident.
Residents of the area also raised concerns over the condition of the road. They alleged that the stretch was damaged during last year’s monsoon but had not been repaired properly. They also said the lack of safety barriers and warning signs has made the route dangerous and increased the chances of accidents.
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