WEB DESK
At least 32 people were killed and as many as 20 sustained injuries after a passenger bus carrying around 55 people fell into a 500-metre deep gorge in Uttarakhand’s Kotdwar district on Tuesday. Teams of SDRF and NDRF are carrying out rescue operations and the injured have been shifted to the hospital.
The bus lost control and fell into the gorge near Simdi village in the Dhumakote police station area of Pauri district. It was going from Laldhang in Haridwar district to Birkhal block of Pauri district.
The bus was carrying passengers of a marriage procession.
Officials from Dhumkot police station rushed to the spot soon after the incident was reported. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reached the State Disaster Management Center soon after he was informed about the accident.
The Prime Minister’s Office took to Twitter and stated, “The bus accident in Pauri, Uttarakhand is heart-rending. In this tragic hour my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those who have been injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway. All possible assistance will be provided to those affected: PM Modi.
After the accident, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his condolences. He took to Twitter and wrote, “The bus accident in Pauri district of Uttarakhand is heart-wrenching. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this incident. May God give them the strength to bear this great loss. Those who are injured in this accident, I hope that they get well soon.”
