ABSTRACT
A mountain collapsed on National Highway-53(NH-53) on 6th July 2011 around 2:30 p.m. A minibus which was carrying Security Personnel of Manipur Rifles (MR) and Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) was hit by the landslide. Six occupants died on the spot and seven were injured. The cases were registered under U.D. Case no. 5/2011/G-SPM-PS and were brought to the RIMS Morgue the next day for Post Mortem Examination (PME). On PME, the victims showed general features of blunt force injuries with gross deformation and one case showed clogging of the whole respiratory tract with soil debris of the landslide. The victims died almost immediately on the spot due to vital organs injuries except in one case where it was due to traumatic asphyxia. Landslides occur frequently in these National Highways due to the hilly terrain and the perpetual rains, such major fatalities have never occurred before. Therefore the cases are reported here to analyze the types of injuries sustained, the causes of death and to discuss precautionary measures for prevention of further mishaps. This will also serve as an eye-opener to the magnitude of severity such a natural disaster.