KANGRA, May 20— Two men lost their lives early Monday after a massive banyan tree, uprooted by a violent storm, fell on a parked truck in Khawa village near Sadon, under Nagrota Bagwan sub-division, officials confirmed.
The victims, identified as Tek Chand of Mahal and Sanjeev Kumar of Masal Bari in Dehra tehsil — both from Kangra district — were asleep inside the truck at the time of the incident. The vehicle, which was loaded with bricks for delivery later in the day, had been parked along the roadside when the storm struck.
“The banyan tree that collapsed had a girth of nearly 50 feet,” said a local official. “The force of the fall crushed the vehicle completely.”
Locals initiated a rescue attempt immediately, with personnel from the administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) joining the operation. After nearly two hours, both bodies were retrieved from the wreckage. An ex-gratia compensation of ₹10,000 for each deceased has been announced.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported strong winds across the region, with speeds reaching 54 kmph in Reckong Peo, 52 kmph in Hamirpur Neri, and 50 kmph in Bilaspur. Thunderstorms and heavy rains affected several areas including Kangra, Palampur, Jot, Kalpa, Mandi, and Sundernagar.
Mandi district was particularly hard-hit, with hundreds of trees uprooted, vehicles damaged, and communication towers collapsed in several locations. Recorded rainfall included 16.4 mm in Mandi, 13.2 mm in Kukumseri, and 12.4 mm in Kangra.
The weather office has warned of continued instability, urging caution in vulnerable areas.
