At least 10 people were killed and 16 others injured when a tempo traveller carrying 26 passengers plunged into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Saturday. The accident occurred around 11 a.m. when the vehicle skidded off the road and fell approximately 250 meters down to the banks of the Alaknanda River on the Badrinath National Highway.
The passengers were reportedly traveling from Delhi/Ghaziabad to Chopta Tungnath. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation. Local administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are currently engaged in relief and rescue operations.
According to Rudraprayag SP Vishakha Ashok Bhadane, seven of the injured have been airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh, while nine are receiving treatment at Rudraprayag District Hospital. Some of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
Expressing sorrow over the incident, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the District Magistrate has been directed to investigate the cause of the accident. "I pray to God to grant the souls of the departed a place at His feet and provide strength for the bereaved families to bear this immense pain. I pray to Baba Kedar for the speedy recovery of the injured," he wrote on his official handle.