Grandson of Jharkhand ex-CM dies in Manali

Shimla: In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old tourist, reportedly the grandson of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, died under mysterious circumstances at the tourist destination of Manali in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday.

Identified as Veer Soren, son of Babulal Soren, he had been holidaying at a popular resort with a group of friends at village Simsa, 6 km from Manali town, since February 22.

He had booked a homestay along with friends to enjoy the serene hill station and also visit nearby places, including Rohtang Tunnel.

Inquiries from the resort reveal that Veer Soren and his friends had also visited Solang Valley and Sethan on February 23 and returned to their accommodation without reporting any immediate health concerns.

“On Tuesday, around 12:30 pm, he reportedly complained of a severe headache after returning from a walk near the homestay. His friends arranged medication for him through an online delivery service, after which he went to rest. Around 2:30 pm, they heard a thud from his room and found him lying on the floor beside his bed,” said a police official.

The youth was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Manali. It was during this transit that his condition deteriorated, and frothing at the mouth was observed.

Doctors administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a considerable time but were unable to revive him. He was declared dead.

K D Sharma, DySP Manali, said the body has been kept in the mortuary, and a post-mortem examination will be conducted after the arrival of family members. Initial examination did not reveal any external injuries.

While the exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem, local officials are of the view that harsh conditions typical of high-altitude areas, such as low oxygen levels in regions like Sethan ( 9,000 feet) and the Hamta Pass (14,010 feet), may be the reason for his sudden collapse.

The police have set up an investigation team to investigate all angles.