A leisure trip to Manali ended in tragedy after 19-year-old Veer Soren, grandson of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, died under circumstances that police have termed suspicious, leaving family members and friends in deep shock. The young man had travelled to the hill town with five friends from Panipat for a short vacation and had been staying at a homestay in the Simsa area while visiting nearby tourist destinations such as Solang and Sethan.
According to available information, Soren returned to the homestay late on the night of February 23. Around 12.30 am, when his friends attempted to wake him, he complained of an intense headache. Medicine was ordered online and administered, after which he went back to sleep. The next afternoon, at approximately 2 pm, his friends heard a loud noise from inside the room and rushed in to find him lying on the floor beside the bed. He was immediately taken to Civil Hospital Manali in a private vehicle.
Sources indicated that foam had begun forming at his mouth before he reached the hospital. Doctors carried out prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an effort to revive him, but he was declared dead during treatment. Police officials stated that no visible external injury marks were found on the body during the preliminary examination.
Authorities were informed by the hospital about the death, following which legal procedures were initiated. Police said the family did not suspect foul play and declined a post-mortem examination. Investigators noted that while the precise cause of death remains unconfirmed, high-altitude sickness or hypoxemia is being considered as a possible factor, given the region’s elevation and environmental conditions.
Relatives arrived in Manali the following morning, and the body was later transported to Bhuntar airport before being flown to Delhi. Police officials confirmed that inquiries are continuing and that all possible aspects are being examined to establish the circumstances surrounding the sudden death.
Condolences poured in from political leaders, including Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who expressed deep sorrow and extended support to the grieving family, while Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also conveyed his sympathies, describing the incident as a deeply tragic loss.
