Shimla: A devastating road accident in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district has once again raised serious concerns over the lack of safety infrastructure on mountain roads. Residents say the six lives lost on Friday evening might have been saved had crash barriers been installed along the accident-prone stretch.
The tragedy occurred around 4:35 p.m. on Friday on the Dhandhol–Kashapat road, where a pickup vehicle carrying six people plunged nearly 200 feet into a deep gorge, killing all occupants.
According to local residents, the pickup driver, Ashok Jain, a resident of Kashapat, had completed his routine trip to the milk plant at Dattnagar and was returning home after delivering milk. As on most days, five local residents boarded the vehicle for a lift back to Kashapat.
Among the passengers was Asha Kumari, a Hindi lecturer at Government Senior Secondary School, Digehr, who was travelling with her 10-year-old son, Yugal, to her maternal home in Kashapat during the school holiday.
Accident Captured During Facebook Live
In a heartbreaking twist, Asha Kumari was reportedly streaming a Facebook Live video during the journey. She was showing viewers the scenic route and pointing out her maternal village when the vehicle suddenly lost control and plunged into the gorge.
The live video reportedly captured the final moments before the crash, including screams from the passengers. The footage has since circulated widely on social media.
Family members said Asha had no idea that the journey to her parents' home would become her last. Her only son, Yugal, also lost his life in the accident.
Villagers Demand Immediate Installation of Crash Barriers
The tragedy has left Kashapat village in mourning. Residents say the mountainous road has long lacked adequate safety measures and believe properly installed crash barriers could have prevented the vehicle from falling into the gorge.
The accident has intensified demands for the Himachal Pradesh Government, the district administration, and the Public Works Department (PWD) to install crash barriers and strengthen road safety measures on the route to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Rescue Operation
Following the accident, police, administrative officials, local residents, and family members rushed to the scene. Rescue teams faced significant challenges due to the difficult terrain, and after hours of effort, all six victims were recovered from the deep gorge.
Asha Kumari's husband, Satya Prakash, along with Duni Chand, the head of the Kashapat Panchayat, also reached the accident site soon after receiving the news.
The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for improved road safety infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh's remote hill regions, where inadequate protective measures continue to put lives at risk.