Seven killed as boulders hit Sikh shrine in Himachal

Locals started rescue operations before the authorities could reach the spot.

Published: August 18, 2015, 5:48 PM IST

https://www.india.com/news/india/seven-killed-as-boulders-hit-sikh-shrine-in-himachal-509253/

Kullu, Aug 18: Seven people were killed and nine others injured on Tuesday when boulders rolled down a hillside onto a portion of the Sikh shrine of Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, an official said. “Seven people were killed and nine injured in the landslide. Rescue work is on … part of the residential area in the shrine was also badly damaged,” Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar told IANS over phone.(Read: 10 people dead due to Landslide near Gurdwara Manikaran Sahib in Himachal)

The building hit by the landslide — which occurred around 2 p.m. — collapsed and rescue workers feared that many people might be trapped under the debris. The victims were yet to be identified, Kanwar said. The Manikaran shrine is some 35 km from the district headquarters Kullu and 250 from the state capital.

The death toll could rise as some of the passengers had received serious injuries in the accident, said the official. Survivors said driver probably lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a curve. Locals started rescue operations before the authorities could reach the spot. Rescue operations are in full swing to save the people. The building is next to mountain from which the land came tumbling down on the building crashing it.