Uttarkashi, March 5 A 28-year-old man died on Thursday after being struck by falling rocks on the Gangotri National Highway, allegedly caused by a forest fire in the area, officials said.
According to officials from the District Disaster Control Room, the incident occurred between Ganeshpur and Netala, under the Barahat Range.
They said Mayank Panwar (28), from Lata village, who was riding a motorcycle on the highway, was seriously injured after being hit by falling stones due to the forest fire.
People at the scene rushed Panwar to the district hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
The hospital's Chief Medical Superintendent, P S Pokhriyal, said that the man suffered serious internal injuries.
Locals blamed the forest department's negligence for his death and demanded strict security measures and immediate control of the forest fire.
They said that the fire has been raging on the nearby mountain slopes for the past two days, causing rockfalls and posing a risk of trees collapsing.
Residents also expressed concern that the fire was gradually spreading towards roads and residential areas and warned that it could turn into a major disaster if not controlled in time.