At least 48 people were reportedly killed in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district in the Dhumakot area on Sunday, 1 July, when a passenger bus crashed into a gorge, police said. The State Disaster Response Force officials have confirmed 45 casualties.
“44 people have died in the accident. At least 3 others are injured. The rescue work is still ongoing,” Deepesh Chandra Kala, a disaster management officer from Pauri Garhwal district where the accident occurred told AFP.
The incident occurred near Gween village in the district when the overloaded private bus, on its way to Ramnagar, fell into the gorge, Pauri superintendent of police Jagat Ram Joshi said.
The police and a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are facilitating rescue operations.
While the reason for the accident isn’t known yet, most of the passengers were instantly killed when the bus plunged into the 700-feet-deep gorge.
The injured were rushed to the hospital. The number of casualties is expected to rise, said Garhwal commissioner Dilip Jawalkar.
The bus, run by a private operator, broke into two pieces after falling into the gorge.
According to the police, the accident took place at about 9 am, near the Queens Bridge on the Pipli-Bhaun road when the driver lost control of the bus which was headed to Ramnagar from Bhaun. A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rushed to the spot along with the local police to facilitate the rescue operation.
The rescue workers on the site recovered 44 bodies from the debris while another person succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, the sources on the ground said, adding that eight injured have been admitted to a hospital in Dhumakot. The PTI report quoting official sources puts the casualties at 40.
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The SP, who rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident, told PTI that at least 48 people were killed and over 12 injured, who have been rushed to a hospital. However, the exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, he said.
The bus, numbered UK12 C 0159, was run by a private operator.
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra S Rawat has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each for the next kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Helicopters are being arranged to take the injured to Dehradun, Rawat said on Twitter.
The CM also informed that Home Minister Rajnath Singh has been informed about the incident and he has assured of all possible help from the Centre to the state.
DIG Garhwal range Sanjay Gunjyal said, rescue operations are being carried out by the police and SDRF personnel, while senior officials have rushed to the spot.
“Compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the dead and the treatment of injured will be take care of by the govt, appropriate compensation will also be given to the injured. Magisterial inquiry has been ordered,” Uttarakhand CM said.
Further details about loss of life and reasons for the mishap are being probed into.