What was meant to be a family holiday ended in tragedy when a woman and her 11-month-old son lost their lives after the vehicle they were sitting in reportedly rolled backwards and plunged into a gorge in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, police said on Friday.
The victims have been identified as 26-year-old Tanu Kumari and her son, Daksh Kumar. Both were residents of Gurugram in Haryana. The accident took place near Gramphu on the Koksar-Rohtang road on Wednesday. The family was travelling from Manali towards Lahaul-Spiti and had stopped to enjoy the scenic views along the route.
Police said the driver and other family members got out of the vehicle to admire the surroundings. Tanu remained inside with her infant son and another woman as she was feeding the child.
Suddenly, the parked vehicle began moving backwards on the slope and tumbled into a deep gorge. Witnesses at the spot said the vehicle rolled back before falling. Local residents rushed to help and launched a rescue operation. The injured were taken to a hospital in Manali, where doctors declared Tanu and her son dead.
Another passenger, Savita Devi, 52, suffered injuries in the accident and is currently receiving treatment. The accident occurred about eight kilometres from Koksar towards Rohtang. The area is known for its steep terrain and limited mobile network coverage.
Spread across nearly 13,833 square kilometres, Lahaul and Spiti is the largest district in Himachal Pradesh by area. However, it has a population of only around 35,000 people, making it one of the least populated districts in the country.
Officials said accidents in such remote regions are often reported late because of difficult road conditions and poor communication facilities. After the post-mortem examination, the bodies were handed over to the family members.
Lahaul and Spiti Superintendent of Police Shivani Mehla said a case has been registered and an investigation is underway. Police are examining whether the vehicle's handbrake had been properly applied when it was parked. Other possible causes of the accident are also being investigated.
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