A Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) conductor was killed after a falling boulder struck him in the remote Mayar Valley of Lahaul-Spiti district on Thursday morning. The tragic incident occurred while an HRTC bus was returning to Udaipur after being unable to complete its scheduled route because of a damaged road.
The deceased has been identified as Gyan Singh, a conductor posted at the HRTC Keylong depot and a resident of Panjalag village in Ladbharol tehsil of Mandi district.
According to information, the HRTC bus had left Udaipur on Wednesday for the Khanjar route in Mayar Valley. However, due to road damage near Karpat, the bus could not proceed further and had to return the next morning.
At around 7:10 am on Thursday, when the bus reached near Dhondal Nala, Gyan Singh got down from the vehicle to wash his hands and face near the stream. During this time, a large boulder suddenly rolled down from the hillside and hit him on the head. He died on the spot due to the impact.
The bus driver and local residents immediately informed the Udaipur police station. A police team rushed to the spot, completed the necessary legal formalities and shifted the body for post-mortem examination to the Regional Hospital at Keylong.
Police have initiated further proceedings and are investigating the incident. The accident highlights the risks faced by HRTC employees and commuters on the rugged roads of Lahaul-Spiti, where landslides, falling rocks and road damage frequently disrupt transport services, particularly during the monsoon season.
