A tragic incident occurred when nine people, including eight members of a family, lost their lives, and two others went missing after their SUV was swept away by the flooded Jaijon Choe, a seasonal rivulet, on Sunday. The family, along with their driver, was traveling from Dehra near Mehatpur in the Una district of Himachal Pradesh to Mehrowal village in Punjab's SBS Nagar district to attend a wedding. Unfortunately, the swollen rivulet, engorged by heavy rainfall, proved deadly as their vehicle was overwhelmed by the strong current.
Despite warnings from locals who urged the driver not to cross the choice due to the dangerous water levels, the driver decided to proceed, leading to the tragic accident. A video of the incident captured the moment when the SUV became stuck in the flooded choe, eventually getting swept away by the powerful current.
Local residents managed to rescue one occupant, Deepak Bhatia, who was then taken to the Government Dispensary in Jaijon. However, the bodies of nine others, including five females, were recovered from the rivulet. The deceased have been identified as Surjit Bhatia, his wife Paramjit Kaur, his brother Saroop Chand, sister-in-law Binder, Shinno from Bhatoli in Mehatpur, her daughters Bhavna and Anu, her son Harshit, and the driver, Bindu.
Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal confirmed that a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed to assist in the rescue and search operations for the missing individuals. The vehicle was reportedly swept approximately 200 meters downstream by the strong water current, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagir Singh.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed his deep condolences over the tragic event and assured the bereaved families of the state's support during this difficult time. He stated that the Himachal Pradesh government, along with the Una district administration, will provide all possible assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
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