Dharamshala, Jan. 16 -- Two persons were killed after the car they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district, officials said on Thursday. The mishap occurred late Wednesday night near Balnera Nala on the Chamba-Saho road. However, the incident came to light only on Thursday morning. The deceased have been identified as Rahul Kumar, 23, of Tappar village under the Saho gram panchayat, and Sunil Bhatt, 28, a resident of Dehra village. According to the police, the deceased were returning home late Wednesday when the mishap took place. The vehicle reportedly skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge, falling nearly 300 feet into a nullah near the Khandlera area, killing both occupants on the spot. A police team reached the site after being informed on Thursday morning, examined the scene and recorded statements from those present. With the assistance of local residents, the bodies were retrieved. They were later shifted to the Community Health Centre, Saho, where post-mortem examinations were conducted following which the bodies were handed over to the families. Police officials said a case has been registered in connection with the accident and a detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the mishap. Meanwhile, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the mishap and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members. He directed the district administration to ensure immediate assistance and relief to the next of kin of the deceased. He prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed souls and courage to the bereaved family members to bear this irreparable loss.htc...