M A I N   N E W S

Four buried alive near Manali, one in Jammu
Our Correspondent

Manali, March 22
Four persons were killed when a boulder came crashing down a hillside across the Beas bridge near Manali early this morning. Following heavy rain and snow yesterday, a landslip occurred, causing a huge boulder to come crashing down, along with debris, on a kiosk, killing four of its occupants at about 2 a.m.

Two out of the four victims have been identified. Three of them were crushed to death on the spot, one succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

One of the deceased has been identified as Raju (32), resident of Kanod village near Shahpur in Kangra district. The other has been identified as Trilok Chand (24), of Kangra district.

Two bodies were extricated at night while one was pulled out in the morning.

A rescue operation was launched on the spot in the presence of the SDM and the DSP. The state Agriculture Minister, Mr Raj Krishan Gaur, visited the site today and supervised relief work.

In another incident, Beli Ram (45) of Lathran village in Jogindernagar tehsil of Mandi district was found dead near Gadherni village of Manali subdivision last night. It is learnt that he fell into a khud after his foot slipped.

JAMMU (PTI): One person was killed and 50 houses were damaged in two landslides in the Ramsoo and Kishtwar areas of Jammu and Kashmir since Monday night, official sources said.

Intense rain triggered landslides from the hills in the Ramsoo area along the 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Tuesday morning, hitting a truck and crushing to death its conductor, Aijaz Ahmed, they said.

Another big landslide hit Sarwan-Keshwan village in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district, damaging 50 houses but there was no loss of life. Police and security personnel have rushed to the area to rescue stranded people and cattle.