Munish Sood
Mandi
Four persons were killed and seven others injured when two trucks collided head-on inside the Hanogi Tunnel on the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway in Mandi district on Thursday morning.
The accident occurred when an Eicher truck travelling from Mandi towards Kullu collided with a Tata truck coming from the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that three persons died on the spot, while another injured person succumbed to injuries later at Medical College Nerchowk.
Three victims were declared dead by the Medical Officer at Community Health Centre (CHC), Nagwain. The seven injured were shifted to Medical College Nerchowk and Zonal Hospital Kullu for treatment. Two of the injured were referred to Nerchowk Medical College after their condition was found to be critical.
The identities of the deceased and injured were yet to be established.
DSP Padhar Lokendra Negi confirmed the accident and said police had launched an investigation. Preliminary information suggested that overspeeding could have led to the collision.
The accident inside the tunnel disrupted traffic on the busy four-lane stretch for some time as rescue and relief operations were carried out.
