13 killed, two injured as falling boulders crush moving vehicle in Himachal's Lahaul-Spiti
Distilled Policy Brief
- The Lahaul-Spiti region in Himachal Pradesh experienced a fatal accident on July 24, 2026, when a falling boulder crushed a moving SUV, resulting in the deaths of 13 people, including a six-month-old infant.
- The incident occurred on the Udaipur-Pangi road, where a total of 15 people were on board the vehicle when the boulders fell, and two people managed to escape by jumping out of the vehicle.
- Police and rescue teams have reached the accident site, and relief operations are being expedited by the Deputy Commissioners of Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti, with the MLA urging for prompt assistance.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the bilateral research and industrial cooperation engagements between India and Germany, consider the following statements: 1. Roundtables held with German research organizations, such as the Fraunhofer Institutes, prioritized key fields including microelectronics, power electronics, and smart manufacturing. 2. Expanding industry-academia innovation networks and collaboration in battery technologies form key components of the enhanced strategic cooperation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Both statements are correct. High-level roundtables with German research institutes, including Fraunhofer Institutes, focused on microelectronics, power electronics, smart manufacturing, battery technologies, and logistics. Furthermore, the engagement emphasized strengthening industry-academia innovation networks, science and technology cooperation, and advanced manufacturing capabilities between India and Germany.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.