CHAMBA, Dec 19 — At least 50 persons were killed and several wounded when a private truck (HP-48-216) rolled into the Siul rivulet at Chakoli near Salooni township, about 62 km from here, at about 11.15 a.m. today.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, Mr T.D. Negi the vehicle was coming from Diur and was on its way to Salooni, tehsil headquarters, where counting of votes for the panchayat samiti and zila parishad elections was to be carried out. The truck occupants were mostly supporters of various candidates.

Mr Negi said according to preliminary reports received at the district headquarters, the bodies of 40 victims had been extricated from the gorge. The help of jawans of Second Battalion and Third Battalion of the Himachal Armed Police and the Indo-Tibetan-Border Police deployed on the borders of Chamba district adjoining Jammu and Kashmir was taken for the rescue and relief operations. Home Guards also lent a helping hand.

The Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police, Chamba, along with a team of doctors rushed to the accident site.

The Siul rivulet into which the truck fell, is a tributary of the Ravi. More casualties cannot be ruled out. An eyewitness said over the phone that most of the bodies recovered were mutilated. A few had been washed away.

At least 60 persons were reported to have been travelling in the truck. While 40 died on the spot, four succumbed to injuries later.

Assistant Commissioner P.S. Rana said that district authorities were trying to identify the bodies. He said some of the bodies had been buried under the truck wreckage. The Deputy Commissioner had asked the military authorities to send a crane to lift the wreckage and extricate the bodies.

He said a sum of Rs 5 lakh had been distributed among the next of kin of the deceased.

The cause of the accident was stated to be overloading due to which the truck driver had failed to negotiate a curve. A few years ago, a similar accident had occurred on the Chamba-Bharmaur highway in which 35 persons were killed.

The Governor and Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal have expressed shock over the accident and sympathy with the bereaved families. They have directed the district administration of Chamba to provide all possible help to the next of kin of the deceased.

The Industries Minister, Mr Kishori Lal, Ayurveda Minister Mohan Lal and MLA, Harsh Mahajan have also expressed sympathy with the bereaved families.