At least four people, including the driver, were killed and one was seriously injured after a vehicle carrying pilgrims from Gujarat plunged into the Bhagirathi river along the Gangotri national highway near Gangnani in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Thursday morning, while two others remained missing, officials said.
The deceased, including the driver, were identified as Patel Ashokaben (49), Rutika Ashokabhai Patel (19) and Ghanshyambhai Sarvalia, all residents of Surat in Gujarat, and driver Surendra Singh (age not known), a resident of Haridwar.
Patel Vedant Ashokbhai (17), also a Surat resident, was flown to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh for treatment.
Those missing were identified as Patel Sudaben Ashokbhai (45) from Surat and Patel Kiranben Vishalbhai (34) from Surendra Nagar in Gujarat.
Officials have yet to establish the exact cause of the accident.
“Upon receiving information about the accident at around 7 am, emergency personnel, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and 108 emergency ambulance services, were rushed to the spot. Rescue teams have so far recovered four bodies from the riverbank,” Uttarkashi district magistrate (DM) Prashant Arya said.
“The seriously injured person was sent to AIIMS Rishikesh in a helicopter for treatment. Meanwhile, Jal Police and specialised divers are searching for the missing people, who were also aboard the vehicle, in the river amid strong river currents,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The seriously injured person was sent to AIIMS Rishikesh in a helicopter for treatment. Meanwhile, Jal Police and specialised divers are searching for the missing people, who were also aboard the vehicle, in the river amid strong river currents,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Uttarakhand reports over 1,000 road accidents annually, with the state’s treacherous, winding and narrow mountain routes posing severe hazards. The risk intensifies during the monsoon and winter seasons due to poor visibility and adverse weather conditions.
In February last year, the Uttarakhand cabinet approved a comprehensive road safety policy aimed at reducing road accidents by 50% by 2030. The policy focuses on enhancing infrastructure, enforcing traffic compliance, raising public awareness, strengthening emergency medical care and promoting research on road safety across stakeholder departments.