Uttarakhand: Around 20 tourists injured as tempo traveller falls into gorge in Nainital
Nainital, August 14
Around 20 tourists were injured after a tempo traveller carrying them fell into a deep gorge near Lakshmi Khan in the Malla Ramgarh area of Nainital district, officials said.
Soon after receiving information about the accident, police teams from Ramgarh and Bhawali reached the spot. Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, with the assistance of local residents, launched a rescue operation.
The injured have been shifted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Ramgarh for treatment.
Bhawali Kotwal Prakash Singh Mehra, speaking to ANI, said police reached the spot immediately after receiving information about the accident and launched the rescue operation.
He said the injured were being shifted to the Ramgarh CHC for treatment.
Further details are awaited.
Earlier, two people were injured after a car skidded off the Bhowali-Ramgarh road in Uttarakhand's Nainital district and plunged nearly 50 metres into a gorge, prompting a rescue operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), officials said.
The accident occurred near Kulati Bend, where the vehicle lost control and fell into a deep ravine, leaving the occupants trapped inside the vehicle.
On receiving information from the Nainital District Disaster Control Room, an SDRF team led by Sub-Inspector Manish Bhakuni rushed to the spot with rescue equipment and launched an operation.
According to the SDRF, the team found the vehicle nearly 50 metres below the road. The occupants, Kharesh Duggal and his wife Ritu Duggal, residents of Noida, had sustained minor injuries.
The rescue team safely extricated both passengers from the gorge, administered first aid at the site and shifted them to Bhowali Hospital for further treatment.
Earlier this week, in a separate incident, two people were killed after a truck plunged nearly 100 metres into a gorge on the Tarsali-Phata road in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, triggering a joint rescue operation by the SDRF, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), district police and fire services.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is the third accident in Uttarakhand this week alone! The authorities need to check the condition of these tempo travellers - many of these tourist vehicles are poorly maintained. Also, drivers should be trained for mountain driving. Praying for the injured tourists' speedy recovery. 🙏
The rescue teams did a great job reaching the spot quickly. But we really need to think about road safety in the hills - black spots need to be identified and fixed. Tourists come here for peace, not accidents. Hope everyone recovers soon.
As someone from Uttarakhand, I can say these roads are extremely narrow and slippery during rains. The district administration should consider restricting heavy vehicles during bad weather. Also, there's no emergency medical facility nearby - the nearest big hospital is far from these areas.
Good that SDRF and locals acted fast. But these tourist vehicles often speed on ghat roads and overtake dangerously. The drivers need strict action if any negligence is found. Also, tourists should check weather conditions before going on hill trips.
So heartbreaking to hear this. The hill stations are getting overcrowded and the infrastructure isn't keeping up. The state should invest in better roads, proper barriers, and modern medical facilities in these remote areas. Wish the injured a quick recovery. 🙏
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