HC seeks status report from Himachal govt on Beas tragedy

The Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the state government to file status report in the case relating to the drowning of 24 engineering students of Hyderabad in Beas River in Mandi district before August 11.

Posting the matter for August 11, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan asked the amicus curiae in the case to examine the entire issue and make submissions within a week.

The college today told the court that it has deposited their share of interim compensation amount as ordered by the bench and has also released the amount of insurance and tuition fee to the legal representatives of the deceased students.

Twenty four B Tech students and a co-tour leader drowned in flash floods in the Beas river near Thalot on Mandi-Kullu national highway on June 8 after the Larji hydropower project authorities suddenly released water from the dam.

Following massive search operations by rescue teams of NDRF, Army, police, Navy, ITBP and 50 expert divers for over a month, 24 bodies of students were recovered while the co-tour leader is still missing.