Uttarakhand: 14 dead as tempo traveller falls into Alakananda gorge

At least 14 tourists reportedly died and 12 were injured when a tempo traveller skidded off the road and fell into the Alakananda River on the Badrinath national highway in Uttarakhand on Saturday (June 15).

Garhwal Inspector General of Police KS Nagnyal told news agency PTI that the victims were tourists on the way to Chopta. He said 26 people were in the vehicle and most of them were residents of Delhi.

Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) commandant Manikant Mishra told journalists 10 tourists died on the spot, while four succumbed to their injuries during treatment — two each at AIIMS Rishikesh and Rudraprayag district hospital.

Mishra said of the 12 injured, five were under treatment at AIIMS Rishikesh and seven at Rudraprayag hospital.

Several tourists serious

On Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s instructions, seven persons seriously injured in the accident were airlifted to AIIMS, Rishikesh, while six others were being treated at Rudraprayag district hospital, he said. Of them, four died later.

District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said the accident happened around 11 am, and police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams rushed to the spot and started relief and rescue operations.

He said the vehicle fell on the banks of Alakananda, about 250 metres below the road.

PM’s post

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident and termed it “heartbreaking”.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office said, “The road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand is heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish speedy recovery of all the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible help to the victims.”

President expresses grief

President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. In a post on X in Hindi, Murmu said, “The news of the death of several people in a road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand is sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident. In a post on X, he said: “Received the tragic news of the road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. My condolences are with the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The local administration and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue work and all possible help is being provided to the injured. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Probe ordered

CM Dhami expressed grief over the accident and ordered the district magistrate to investigate the incident. He also directed officials to provide necessary treatment to the injured.

In a post on X, the chief minister said the local administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team are engaged in relief and rescue operations and that the injured have been admitted to the nearest medical centre.

He added, “We are fully committed to provide all possible help to the injured.”

(With agency inputs)