Eight people killed after boulders hit Manikaran Sahib Gurdwara in Himachal due to landslide

Manikaran: Eight persons were killed and ten others injured when a building adjoining the historic Manikaran Sahib Gurdwara caved in due to a massive landslide on Tuesday afternoon. [caption id=“attachment_2397430” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The landslide in Himachal Pradesh has killed 8 people till now. IBNLive[/caption] The Gurdwara is an important place of worship for the Sikhs because it is believed that once, Guru Nanak came to the place with his disciple Bhai Mardana, according to Deccan Herald. Kullu Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar confirmed that eight bodies which were buried under huge boulders have been extricated while search is on for more. Eyewitnesses claimed that the dead could be more than ten in number as a large number of people had taken shelter in the building, close to the Gurdwara, when the tragedy struck. The exact number of dead or injured could not be ascertained as some bodies are feared to be buried under the debris. The district administration has sought the assistance of Gurdwara authorities in locating and identifying the bodies as most people staying in the building were outsiders. People ran helter-skelter as boulders fell on the building and many were trapped as a huge portion of the three-storey building virtually collapsed. The locals and Gurdwara management immediately swung into action and started rescue operations while Additional District Magistrate, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Kullu and other district officials rushed to the spot. Those injured have been admitted to zonal hospital at Kullu and condition of seven of them is stated to be serious. (With inputs from PTI)