Vehicle carrying tent materials plunges off Kamand bridge; CM Sukhu expresses grief
Mandi – In a devastating road accident near Kamand bridge close to IIT Mandi, five persons lost their lives on the spot while one sustained serious injuries on Sunday morning. The accident occurred around 8:45 am when a pickup vehicle carrying tent material from Punjab fell off the bridge after the driver reportedly lost control.
The deceased have been identified as Sukhwinder Singh from Ludhiana, Umesh Kumar from Amritsar, and Sagar from Ferozepur. All of them had arrived in Himachal Pradesh for a local event and were transporting tents to ITI Kamand in Mandi on the invitation of a local contractor. The driver, Gurjeet Singh from Tarn Taran, was injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment.
According to eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigation, four persons were sitting on top of the pickup while one was seated beside the driver. After descending near Kamand, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which then hit the railing of the bridge. The impact flung the four men sitting atop the vehicle nearly 100 metres down onto the rocky banks of the Uhl River, killing them instantly. The person seated next to the driver also fell and succumbed to injuries on the spot. The pickup was severely damaged in the crash.
The victims had left Amritsar with the goods on Sunday evening and halted at Sundar Nagar for the night. They resumed their journey early Sunday morning around 7 am.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and extended condolences to the bereaved families. “This is a heart-wrenching incident. The state government stands firmly with the affected families in this hour of grief,” he said in a statement.
He also directed the Mandi district administration to provide all necessary assistance to the families of the deceased and to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
Police have registered a case and begun an investigation into the cause of the accident.
