Shimla: Car Carrying Devotees from Punjab Plunges into River—10-Year-Old Missing, 2 Dead

Shimla, July 12 – A tragic accident unfolded in the Chopal subdivision of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, when a car carrying five devotees from Nawanshahr district in Punjab skidded off the road and fell into the Salvi River. The group was en route to attend a spiritual gathering (satsang) when the mishap occurred.

Two people have been confirmed dead, and others have sustained serious injuries. A 10-year-old child was swept away by the river’s strong current and is still missing.

The accident happened near Jamaradi in the Nerwa police station area earlier this evening. Upon receiving the alert, teams from the police and local administration rushed to the site and initiated rescue operations immediately.

According to DSP Chopal Sushant Sharma, four individuals were rescued and rushed to the Nerwa hospital for initial treatment. Of them, two were declared dead. One of the critically injured survivors is a woman. A search operation is underway to trace the missing child.

The deceased have been identified as Kumar Suchi, a resident of Nerwa tehsil, Shimla district, and Gurmel Lal from Nawanshahr, Punjab.

The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation. The police are exploring all possible angles to determine how the vehicle lost control and veered off the road.

The car, partially submerged in the river, has yet to be identified by make or model. With the monsoon in full force, the administration has once again appealed to tourists and locals to exercise extreme caution, especially on hilly roads and near riverbanks.

Rescue efforts remain active at the site, and more details will be shared by authorities as they emerge.

This incident adds to the growing toll of rain-related tragedies in Himachal this monsoon season. So far, 95 people have lost their lives, including 39 in road accidents.