Six persons were killed on Saturday after the cable wire of a ropeway meant for material transport snapped, causing the cable car to crash to the ground in Pavagadh area of Gujarat’s Panchmahal district, the police said.
The deceased included four employees of a contractor working on the ongoing renovations and construction at the Kalika Mata temple in Pavagadh, said the police.
Confirming the accident, Panchmahal district Superintendent of Police Haresh Dudhat told The Indian Express that the bodies have been retrieved and sent for post-mortem examination.
Among the deceased were two lift operators, two workers and two other persons, who were travelling in the ropeway, when the incident occurred at around 3.30pm.
SP Dudhat said, “The ropeway accident at Pavagadh took place around 3.30 pm on Saturday. The cabin of the ropeway came crashing to the ground and the six persons, who were on board were killed… The bodies have been retrieved and sent for post-mortem examination. An accidental death case has been lodged at Pavagadh police station”.
“A probe has been launched into the matter. In case there is negligence found during the probe, action will be taken accordingly,” said the SP.
As a precaution following the crash and due to the weather conditions, the ropeway meant for tourists was also suspended later in the afternoon.
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Meanwhile, cranes were deployed to remove the wreckage of the ropeway to allow the fire department to pull out the bodies.
A police official, on the condition of anonymity, told The Indian Express that the occupants of the goods ropeway cabin were killed due to impact as well as injuries from the metal of the cabin during the crash.
President of the Kalika Mata trust that controls the Mahakali temple in the Pavagadh hills, Surendra Patel, told The Indian Express that the incident occurred while the operators were checking the ropeway.
Patel said, “The unfortunate incident occurred when the operators were checking the material ropeway… It slipped and six persons were killed. There were four employees of the contractor and two other persons in the cabin… The police are probing the matter.”
