As many as three were killed and three others wounded seriously, when a pickup jeep severed off the road and fell into a 200 ft deep gorge near Rajera, about 15 Kilometres from district headquarters, Chamba today.

            As per the reports the ill-fated vehicle (HP 48-1788) was on its way from Mehla to Chamba when it met with an accident at around 3.30 PM.

            The injured were immediately rushed to regional hospital Chamba. Amongst the dead were Amaro S/o Kirpo Ram of Dhelai, Kidi, Sudesh Kumar S/O Late Dhani Ramof Jilla ,Kidi and Arif s/o Pyar Mohammad of Rakhalu (Tissa) who was driving the vehicle.

            The injured includes Sanjeev Kumar of Janjala and Sarno of Kidi. One goat was also killed in the accident which was being carried in the ill-fated jeep.

            Subdivisional Magistrate, Chamba, Sandeep Negi said that an amount of rupees ten thousand each had been provided to the kin of the deceased and the injured as an immediate relief.

Speaker, Vidhan Sabha, Sh. Tulsi Ram and MLA Chamba Sh. B.K. Chauhan expressed deep grief and mourned the deaths. They prayed to the God to give strength to the family members of the deceased and also for speedy recovery of those injured.

            As per initial reports, rash and negligent driving was being ascertained as the cause of the mishap.