At least 48 people died and several were injured when an overcrowded bus fell into a deep gorge in the hill state of Uttarakhand yesterday, police said.
The accident took place on a winding hill road in Pauri Garhwal district, local police official Sanjay Singh said.
The 28-seater bus was carrying 58 people.
Several women and children and the driver of the bus were among the dead, Singh said.
“All the bodies have been recovered. Eleven injured people are being treated in hospitals, some of them are critical and the toll could rise further,” Singh said.
“The cause of the accident is not confirmed but according to reports we have received, the driver lost control while taking a bend,” Singh, who is based at the district headquarters in Pauri town, said.
Most of the victims were local people travelling between Dhumakot and Ramnagar towns.
“The bus started from Bhoan in Pauri district and was on its way to Ramnagar in Nainital district, around 70km from Bhoan. However, after travelling for just 7km the bus fell into the gorge near the Queen village,” Pauri Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jagat Ram Joshi said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has announced compensation of Rs200,000 for the families of the deceased and Rs50,000 each for the injured.
“Extremely saddened by the bus accident in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. Rescue operations are under way and authorities are providing all possible assistance at the accident site,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter.
President Ram Nath Kovind expressed his sorrow and said, “Very sad to learn about the tragic bus accident in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. Rescue efforts are on and local authorities are doing their utmost to help. My condolences to the bereaved facilities and best wishes to those injured.”
Rescue operations underway after a bus fell into a 60m gorge near the Queens Bridge in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district yesterday.
