Munish Sood
Ani/Mandi
In a tragic incident that underscores the destructive power of extreme weather, four women teachers lost their lives after a massive pine tree fell on a moving vehicle in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district on Saturday evening.
According to official information, the accident occurred around 5:00 PM on the Shamsher–Gugra road near Bali-Ol in Ani subdivision, when the region was experiencing a severe storm accompanied by strong winds. A Bolero Camper (HP01K-4621), carrying seven occupants, was struck by a large uprooted pine tree, causing the vehicle to lose control and plunge off the road.
The impact proved fatal for four women teachers, who d*ied on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Sneha Lata (38) from Parlidhar, Bunty Kaundal (38) from Lamseri, Usha Kumari (43) from Tarala, and Seema Azad (54) from Ropdi. All were residents of Ani tehsil in Kullu district and were employed in the Education Department. They were returning home after duty at the time of the incident.
Three others sustained serious injuries, including the driver Suresh Chand (42), Tara Devi (47), and Reena Kumari (40), a resident of Sarkaghat in Mandi district. The injured were rushed to a nearby civil hospital, where their condition is reported to be critical.
Local residents, along with administrative teams, launched immediate rescue operations and managed to extricate the victims and injured from the wreckage after considerable effort. The intensity of the storm can be gauged from the fact that the vehicle was severely mangled, leaving the occupants with little chance to react.
The incident has sent shockwaves across Kullu district, particularly within the education fraternity, where the loss of four teachers has left a deep void. Authorities have assured financial assistance to the bereaved families as per norms and directed that the injured receive the best possible medical care.
Police have taken custody of the bodies and initiated post-mortem proceedings. A detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the incident.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, along with local MLA Lokender Kumar, expressed profound grief over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
