Shimla, Aug. 8 -- The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday refused to discharge three faculty members of the VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, who are facing charges culpable negligence under Sections 336, 304-A read with Section 34 of the IPC, in connection with the 2014 Beas River tragedy that claimed the lives of 25 students and a tour manager near Thalout in Mandi district.

Justice Virender Singh, while dismissing the revision plea (Cr. Revision No. 284 of 2024) filed by professors A. Aditya, C. Kiran, and Sumabala, upheld the trial court's February 8, 2024, order, which had denied their discharge under Section 258 of the CrPC.

The court noted that the petitioners, who were acting as tour guardi...