Dharamshala (Arvind Sharma), October 31
A 40-year-old scooter rider was killed after his two-wheeler collided with a private bus near the Gaggal-Manjhi bridge, close to Dharamshala Airport, on Thursday morning. The fatal accident triggered a protest by local residents and the victim’s family, resulting in a massive traffic jam on the Mandi-Pathankot National Highway and leaving hundreds of commuters stranded. Several air passengers reportedly missed their flights due to the disruption.
According to reports, the deceased, identified as Sandeep Kumar, was riding his scooter and was about to turn towards Rachialu when a private bus travelling towards Pathankot hit him. He died on the spot.
Following the accident, a large number of local residents gathered at the scene and staged a protest, demanding justice for the deceased’s family. The situation led to the blockade of the highway, bringing traffic movement to a standstill over a wide stretch.
The victim’s family and local residents have urged the administration to take responsibility for the future of Sandeep Kumar’s two young children, particularly their education and livelihood. The family maintained that the protest would continue until the administration provided a concrete written assurance addressing their demands.
Police personnel reached the spot and made efforts to pacify the protesters and restore traffic movement. After nearly five hours of disruption, the highway was reopened to traffic following police intervention.
The blockade caused severe inconvenience to commuters and tourists, particularly air passengers travelling to and from Dharamshala Airport. Several passengers reportedly missed their scheduled flights.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case and initiated further investigation into the accident.
