Three killed, 2 injured as ambulance falls into gorge on Hoshiarpur-Dharamshala Highway

Hoshiarpur: Three men died while two others were injured when an ambulance plunged into a deep gorge on the Hoshiarpur-Dharamshala national highway in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred near Manugwal when the ambulance carrying a patient was returning from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, Station House Officer of Sadar Police Station, Sub-Inspector Madan Lal said.

"Near Manugwal, the road berm had caved in due to rains. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it plunged into a deep gorge," he said.

According to police, Sanjiv Soni (50) of Pathial village, Onkar Chand (70) of Gangath village and Rakesh Kapoor (45) of Noorpur village -- residents of Himachal Pradesh -- were killed in the accident.

Their bodies were sent to the Government Hospital in Hoshiarpur for postmortem, they said.

Police said that Renu Kapoor (49) of Noorpur village and the ambulance driver, whose identity is yet to be ascertained -- were injured and rescued with the help of villagers.

Both were initially admitted to the Government Hospital in Hoshiarpur and later referred to a private hospital for treatment. Further investigation is underway, police said.