Chandigarh taxi driver falls off road during brawl at Manali, dies

A taxi driver from Chandigarh reportedly died after falling about 25 feet down from the road onto the concrete roof of a building below during a brawl with a local resident at Shaminala near Manali last night. The police said that Baljeet Singh Mann, a resident of Amritsar, lodged a complaint that he and Chandigarh resident Baljinder Singh, driver of taxi (PB-01D-7950), were consuming liquor in his (Baljeet’s) taxi (PB-01C-4520) on the roadside near an eatery at Shaminala.

The complainant added that around 9.15 pm, one person, who introduced himself as local resident Gulshan, pointed towards his house and inquired as to why they had parked their vehicle there and were consuming liquor.

Complainant Baljeet said that they told Gulshan that they would go away but he started arguing with Baljinder. He alleged that Gulshan passed a remark that “Punjabis have spread dirt in the area”. On hearing this remark, Baljinder got down from the taxi and slapped Gulshan, who fell down. The complainant added that he, too, got out of the vehicle and stopped them from fighting.

He said that Gulshan then kicked Baljinder and the latter lost his balance and fell off the road onto the concrete roof of the building below. Baljeet added that Baljinder was breathing when he picked him up but died when he brought him to the road. Gulshan fled the spot.

Manali DSP KD Sharma said that a case had been registered and an investigation was underway.