Search and rescue operations on the Alakananda River continued for a second day on Friday as nine people remained missing after the bus accident in Uttarakhand.
The bus, which had 20 people onboard, swerved off the highway in the Rudraprayag district and plunged into the Alakananda river on Thursday morning, officials said. While three people died in the accident, officials added that those who remain missing are also most likely dead.
A video shared by the Rudraprayag police on social media platfrom X showed a team of security personnel navigating their way through the Alakananda river on water rafts.
Teams from the police, fire department, State Disaster Response Force and locals had reached the site after the incident to assist with the search and rescue operations.
“Three people have been confirmed dead, including Vishal Soni (42) from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh, Dreamy (17) from Surat in Gujarat, Gauri Soni (41) from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh,” Rudraprayag superintendent of police, Akshay Prahlad Konde, said.
{{/usCountry}}“Three people have been confirmed dead, including Vishal Soni (42) from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh, Dreamy (17) from Surat in Gujarat, Gauri Soni (41) from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh,” Rudraprayag superintendent of police, Akshay Prahlad Konde, said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, eight people sustained injuries in the accident, with SDRF media in-charge Vineet Devrani saying that they were thrown off the bus before it submerged in the water. Devrani said that the injured were brought up the road and rushed to the district hospital.
Later, four of them who were in a critical condition were referred to AIIMS Rishikesh, Rudraprayag chief medical officer Dr Ram Prakash said.
Driver claims speeding truck from opposite side caused accident
The driver of the bus, Sumit Kumar (23), said that a “speeding truck” was approaching the bus from the other side. He claimed that the truck had hit the bus on the driver's side, which led to him losing control and the bus falling into the river.
However, the Rudraprayag SP highlighted negligence on the part of the driver after preliminary investigations, adding that there could have been a mechanical fault in the vehicle as well.
Konde said that a first information report had been filed under ections 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 106 (causing death by negligence), and 281 (driving a vehicle negligently on a public road) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.