Five killed, one injured after Bolero plunges into 250-metre gorge in Uttarakhand
At least five people, including a three-year-old child, were killed and one person was injured after a Bolero vehicle plunged nearly 250 metres into a
At least five people, including a three-year-old child, were killed and one person was injured after a Bolero vehicle plunged nearly 250 metres into a deep gorge on the Pauri-Devprayag motor road in Uttarakhand's Pauri district on Friday, police said. The accident took place near Sabdarkhal, close to Kunddhar, when the vehicle, which was travelling from Devprayag towards Pauri, reportedly lost control and veered off the road before falling into the gorge. Local residents rushed to the spot after the crash and alerted the police. Read Full Story Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pauri Sarvesh Panwar said Devprayag Police and teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) immediately reached the accident site and launched a rescue operation.
According to police, the Bolero bearing registration number UK08 BL 0387 was carrying six occupants at the time of the accident. Five people died in the crash, while one injured survivor was rescued from the gorge and shifted to the Base Hospital in Uttarakhand's Srinagar for treatment. The injured has been identified as Armaan, a resident of Haridwar. Rescue teams used specialised equipment to retrieve him from the gorge before he was taken to hospital. The deceased have been identified as Afzal (49), son of Akbar Sufi; Shabbo (40), wife of Afzal; 3-year-old daughter of Afzal; 14-year-old son of Afzal; and Gufran (34), son of Akbar.
All the victims were residents of Raipur Jeetpur under Laksar Kotwali police station in Haridwar district. BODIES BEING SHIFTED FOR POST-MORTEM Police personnel, assisted by SDRF teams and local residents, recovered the bodies from the gorge and shifted them for post-mortem examination. Authorities said legal formalities are being completed before handing over the bodies to the bereaved family. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. Police said preliminary findings indicate that the vehicle went out of control before plunging into the gorge, though further investigation is underway to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.
The accident once again highlights the risks associated with hilly roads in Uttarakhand, where deep gorges and winding mountain routes often make rescue operations challenging. Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution while travelling on mountainous roads, particularly during the monsoon season, when road conditions can deteriorate rapidly. Ends With inputs from Siddhant Uniyal
The BriefWire