Newlyweds killed as landslide sweeps away houses in Chamba

Nearly 400 roads, including Mandi-Kullu Mandi-Pathankot highways, shut across the state

- Dar Ovais

A newlywed couple was killed when a boulder hit their house in Chamba district early on Monday, while normal life was thrown out of gear in Himachal Pradesh as heavy rainfall led to landslides blocking 398 roads, forcing the closure of educational institutions in some parts of the state, officials said.

Chamba deputy commissioner Mukesh Repaswal said a landslide hit two houses at Chari panchayat of Chamba between 3 and 4 am. “We have recovered the bodies,” he said.

A massive boulder crashed into the house where the newlyweds, Sunny and Pallu, were asleep, causing it to collapse. They had got married only a few months ago and were visiting the woman’s parental house at Chari when the incident occurred. The woman had arrived a few days ago, while her husband joined her only a day before the incident. The couple was in a newly constructed house adjacent to the main family house when the incident happened.

Schools remain shut in many areas

As many as 398 roads, including 242 in Mandi district, remain blocked in Himachal Pradesh on Monday due to landslides triggered by heavy rain.