Himachal Pradesh Police crackdown on an SUV owner for allegedly driving his Mahindra Thar through the Chandra River in the Lahaul and Spiti area on Monday evening. In the video, widely circulated on social media, the tourist can be seen driving his SUV through the river, possibly to avoid the traffic jam due to the Christmas festival.
The SUV owner chose an unusual route
Tourists have herded the hill station to celebrate Christmas and New Year, following which a severe traffic jam could be witnessed in the state. The Mahindra Thar owner chose an unusual route to avoid the traffic jams and drove his SUV across the river. The river's water level was not that deep, allowing the SUV to cross swiftly without difficulty. Seeing the incident, the locals pulled out their phones to document it, and soon the video went viral.
Himachal State police issued a challan against the SUV owner
Following the video, the Himachal State police issued a challan to the owner of the Mahindra Thar. "Recently, a video of a Thar crossing the Chandra River in Lahaul Spiti District went viral. The vehicle has been challenged under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the district police have deployed police personnel at the said location to ensure that no one commits such an offence in the future," said SP Mayank Chaudhry.
The state witness considerable traffic congestion due to tourists
Roads connecting several tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh are seeing considerable traffic congestion as additional visitors arrive to celebrate Christmas and New Year. The police in the Lahaul and Spiti area used drone surveillance to monitor the traffic situations in the region, and the video clip shows vehicle trails blocking the roadways, with no room for parking. To overcome the traffic jam, several drivers engaged in unsafe driving stunts. Recently, a man driving his car with open doors went viral. In the video, the driver was spotted hanging out from the door. After the viral video, the Kullu police took notice and levied ₹3,500 fine.
