4 killed as car plunges into deep gorge in Mussoorie; rescue teams battle steep slopes to retrieve victims
Dehradun, June 10
Four individuals lost their lives on Wednesday after their car plummeted into a deep gorge in the Jharipani area on Mussoorie Road. Upon receiving information about the incident, the police, the Fire Service, and the State Disaster Response Force immediately rushed to the spot and launched a joint rescue operation.
Acting on information received from the Dehradun District Control Room (DCR), an SDRF team from Post Sahastradhara, led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Manoj Joshi, reached the accident site.
According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), rescue and recovery operations are being carried out in extremely challenging terrain and steep slopes. According to preliminary information provided by the police, all four occupants of the vehicle died at the scene.
Joint rescue efforts by the Police, SDRF, and other agencies are currently underway.
Teams are currently engaged in retrieving the bodies from the deep gorge and bringing them up to the roadside, following which the police will carry out the necessary legal formalities, SDRF said.
Earlier this week, in a separate incident, a local bus travelling toward Rishikesh overturned near the Kaudiyala area in Uttarakhand. Authorities confirmed that the majority of the 39 passengers on board escaped without serious harm, with only eight individuals suffering minor injuries.
Tehri Garhwal District Disaster Management Officer, Brijesh Bhatt, informed ANI that a bus overturned on the road near Kaudiyala. Eight people sustained minor injuries in the accident. Revenue, police, 108 ambulance, and SDRF teams reached the spot.
"The local bus was heading towards Rishikesh and was carrying 39 passengers at the time of the incident. Eight passengers suffered minor injuries, while all others are safe. Preliminary information suggests that the accident may have occurred due to brake failure," the District Disaster Management Officer said.
In a separate incident, earlier in June, one person was killed, and several others were injured after a bus carrying pilgrims overturned after being hit by a dumper truck from behind near Shantikunj in Haridwar, officials said.
The incident occurred as the pilgrims were returning after taking a holy dip in the Ganges.
Speaking about the accident to ANI, Shishupal Singh Negi, CO City, Haridwar, said, "A report came in the morning from the Control Room regarding a bus--specifically a double-decker--bearing an 'AP' (Andhra Pradesh) registration number, but the owner was based in Rajasthan, hailing from Nagaur. The bus was carrying pilgrims who had arrived as part of a convoy of three buses."
Negi further informed that the impact of the collision caused the bus to overturn, prompting an immediate rescue response.
SDM Yogesh Mehra stated that 26 injured individuals are currently receiving medical attention.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a tourist who visited Mussoorie last year, I remember the narrow winding roads near Jharipani—they're beautiful but treacherous. The SDRF team deserves appreciation for working in steep terrain to retrieve the bodies. But shouldn't the government install more crash barriers and warning signs in these accident-prone zones?
So many accidents in Uttarakhand this month alone—bus overturned on Kaudiyala road, pilgrims bus accident in Haridwar, and now this. 😔 It's heartbreaking. The terrain is naturally difficult, but our authorities need to focus on road widening, better signage, and checking vehicle fitness thoroughly. Every life matters. 🙏
Respectful condolences to the families. However, I must point out that three separate serious accidents within a month in Uttarakhand indicates a systemic issue. The bus with AP registration and Rajasthan owner carrying pilgrims raises questions about interstate vehicle regulation. Time for stricter enforcement of traffic rules in hilly regions.
Kudos to the SDRF team reaching the spot quickly despite challenging terrain. But as a local from Dehradun, I see these ghat roads every day—they need urgent attention. The Mussoorie Road stretch near Jharipani has claimed too many lives. @UttarakhandGovt, please allocate funds for road safety measures as a top priority. 🙏
Reading this makes me so angry! Not because of the brave rescue teams—they're doing their best—but because we keep hearing the same story every monsoon season. Cars falling into gorges, buses overturning, pilgrims dying. When will our
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