Seven people were killed and 28 injured on Sunday when a bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat fell into a gorge in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, reports The Indian Express. The seven were all residents of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat, and died on spot.
There were 35 people on board the bus which was returning from Gangotri, when the driver lost control of the bus at Gangnani. The accident took place around 4 PM on the Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway in Bhatwadi tehsil.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed his condolences and said that the state administration is in touch with the Uttrakhand administration. Patel’s Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed grief over the accident.
“I am saddened by the tragic incident in Uttarakhand in which pilgrims from Gujarat lost their lives. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. The Gujarat government is constantly in touch with the Uttarakhand government regarding the incident. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Patel posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi said that of the 28 who were injured, 11 suffered serious injuries and have been sent to AIIMS, Rishikesh. All the injured pilgrims are residents of Bhavnagar and Surat districts of Gujarat.
He said upon receiving information about the accident, state police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the spot and started rescue and relief operations. They were rescued from the gorge and sent to Uttarkashi district hospital.
Uttarakhand has been reeling under incessant rains that have triggered landslides and flash floods in many places.