A Manimahesh pilgrim from Punjab was killed after a boulder crashed through the sunroof of the SUV he was travelling in on the Chamba-Bharmour road in Himachal Pradesh early Wednesday.The accident occurred around 3 am near Mehla when four friends from Punjab were on their way to Bharmour to undertake the Manimahesh yatra. The police said a boulder suddenly rolled down the hillside and struck the SUV. The rock smashed through the vehicle’s sunroof and hit one of the occupants directly.The deceased has been identified as Makhan Singh (40), a resident of Maliyan village in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab. He sustained fatal injuries and was rushed to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital, Chamba, where doctors declared him brought dead.The three other occupants of the vehicle escaped unhurt, the police said.Soon after receiving information about the incident, police and administration officials reached the spot. The body was sent for a post-mortem examination, while the police have initiated proceedings. The victim’s family has also been informed.The accident comes as thousands of devotees are heading to the revered Manimahesh shrine for the annual pilgrimage. The Chamba-Bharmour road, the main route to the pilgrimage, is particularly vulnerable to landslides and falling rocks during the monsoon season.The authorities have advised pilgrims and other motorists to exercise extreme caution while travelling on hill roads, especially during the early morning hours and in areas prone to falling rocks. The incident serves as another reminder of the risks associated with monsoon travel in the Himalayan region, where landslides and falling boulders remain a persistent hazard.