Tragedy Strikes: Three Bodies Recovered in Summer Hill’s Shiv Bawri Temple Rescue Operation

Shimla, August 14: The second day of the rescue operation at Shiv Bawri Temple in Summer Hill , the capital’s suburb, yielded the recovery of three bodies trapped under debris due to a devastating landslide that destroyed the temple. Among the recovered bodies, two were identified as women, namely Professor Mansi and Rekha. Professor Mansi was a mathematics professor at Himachal Pradesh University. She hailed from Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district. Tragically, Mansi’s husband Harish Verma also lost his life in the landslide. His body had been recovered yesterday. The couple had been residing in the MIA room of Sumer Hill. They had reached the temple on Monday to offer prayers when the landslide tragically claimed their lives.

Rescue workers have also recovered the body of another woman, Rekha, from the debris. Rekha, a resident of Bilaspur, was the wife of P.L. Sharma, a mathematics professor at Himachal Pradesh University and the head of the Mathematics Department. Her husband and son are still missing since the incident. A body of an unidentified man was also recovered from the scene. So far, a total of 11 bodies have been recovered from the debris. The rescue operation was halted due to flooding on Monday evening, but it regained momentum today with improved weather conditions. More than a dozen people are still missing, many of whom were present in the temple during the disaster.

On August 14, Monday morning, around 7:30 AM, the Shiv Bawri Temple was devastated by a landslide and flood. The magnitude of the disaster was so severe that the temple was completely obliterated. Over two dozen people who were present in the temple at the time had no chance to escape. The incident was inspected by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, and Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Sukh. The tragic incident claimed the lives of seven people, including two innocent children, and a family of seven was left buried under the debris. The temple, which is nearly 150 years old, held immense significance for devotees and had been a center of faith. Devotees would gather at the temple during the month of Shravan for religious ceremonies. The disaster struck before the temple could complete its ritualistic ceremonies, causing irreparable damage.