During the third cultural evening of the ongoing Winter Carnival in Manali, a scuffle at the Manu Rangshala escalated into the tragic murder of a 19-year-old youth, Daksh. Police have arrested the accused, Tushar, a resident of Sial. Initial investigations reveal that Daksh was attacked with a broken glass bottle, resulting in a fatal injury to his neck.
On Thursday, a post-mortem of the deceased was conducted under the supervision of three doctors, with a magistrate also present. Forensic teams collected evidence, including samples, to aid the investigation. A large crowd gathered outside the mortuary in Manali, including MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur, SDM Raman Kumar Sharma, and DSP KD Sharma, who were present at the scene.
SP Kullu, Dr. Kartikeyan Gokul Chandran, briefed the media about the progress of the investigation. He explained that the altercation occurred near the VIP gallery on the left side of Manu Rangshala. During the fight, Daksh was attacked with a broken bottle, leaving him critically injured. On-duty officers rushed him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The police acted swiftly and arrested the accused, Tushar, within hours of the incident. They are also questioning four other individuals who were present at the scene during the attack. A case has been registered under Sections 103 and 35 of the BNS.
Following the incident, the police sealed the entire Manu Rangshala and the crime scene on Thursday morning. The administration and carnival committee canceled all cultural events, including the star night. To gather evidence, the Kullu Police called in a forensic (FSL) team, which inspected the site and collected blood samples.
The Manu Rangshala will remain closed to the public until the police complete their investigation. SDM Raman Kumar Sharma announced that the Mahanati, day programs, and the star night scheduled for January 23 have been canceled.