Manali Winter Carnival Stabbing Leaves 19-Year-Old Dead, Suspect Arrested

A backstage altercation during a cultural event led to a fatal attack with broken glass, prompting increased scrutiny on festival security.

A 19-year-old named Dakshya, a resident of Vasisht near Manali, was fatally stabbed backstage at the Manu Rangshala during the Manali Winter Carnival's cultural night on Wednesday evening.
The accused, identified as Tushar Sharma, allegedly attacked the victim on the neck with a broken glass bottle following an argument and was arrested in the early hours of Thursday.
The incident has led to the suspension of Thursday’s cultural events, with performances rescheduled for Friday as authorities review security measures for the festival.
Kullu police have launched an investigation to determine the motive behind the attack and whether others were involved, with a postmortem report awaited.
Political leaders have criticized the state government over law and order concerns, while officials emphasized the swift arrest and reassured that Himachal Pradesh remains a peaceful state.