Three tourists were killed and 19 others, including a 10-month-old infant, were injured after a tempo traveller carrying 22 people plunged into a deep gorge on the Bhowali-Mukteshwar road in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on Friday afternoon, officials said.
According to the District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC), Nainital, the accident occurred when the vehicle was travelling from Mukteshwar towards Nainital. The driver reportedly lost control while negotiating a winding stretch, causing the vehicle to skid off the road and roll down into the gorge.
After the accident was reported through the Nainital police control room, a joint rescue operation was launched. Personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police, revenue department and district administration, along with local residents, reached the spot and began evacuating the victims.
Emergency ambulances were deployed to transport the injured to Sushila Tiwari Government Hospital in Haldwani, where medical teams were placed on alert to provide trauma care.
The deceased have been identified as Pradeep (26) and Sumit (25), both residents of Faridabad, and Abhishek, whose details were not immediately available.
{{/usCountry}}The deceased have been identified as Pradeep (26) and Sumit (25), both residents of Faridabad, and Abhishek, whose details were not immediately available.
{{/usCountry}}The 19 injured passengers include Harsh Varma (26), Ritika (23), Misti (10 months), Payal (22), Anjali (23), Anjali (22), Nandani (22), Tushar (21), Anand (21), Laxmi (27), Dheeraj (25), Mayank (17), Ankit (26), Ajay (25), Sonia (23) and driver Yash (27), all residents of Faridabad. Three others, Manish (25), Dharmendra (24) and Dolly (21), are from Delhi.