A tragic road accident in Uttarakhand's Almora district claimed seven lives and left twelve others injured on Tuesday morning. A passenger bus plunged approximately 160 feet into a deep gorge after the driver reportedly lost control on a sharp turn.
The Fateful Journey and Immediate Aftermath
The accident occurred around 8 am on the Bhikiyasen–Ramnagar road near Sheelapani, about 8 kilometres from Bhikiyasen. The private bus, a 2019 model, was operating on the Dwarahat–Ramnagar route and had commenced its journey from Nobada at 7 am. It was carrying 19 passengers at the time of the incident.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the driver allegedly lost control while navigating a dangerous curve. The bus careened off the road and fell into the gorge. Six passengers died on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries during treatment later.
Rescue Operations and Medical Response
Rescue operations were launched immediately. Teams from the local police, district administration, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) worked tirelessly, assisted by villagers from the area. Almora SSP Devendra Pincha stated that the depth of the gorge made the rescue work extremely challenging, but all bodies and injured persons were retrieved on a war footing.
The injured, including the driver and conductor, were first rushed to the government hospital in Bhikiyasen and the Ram Dutt Joshi Govt Combined Hospital in Ramnagar. Given the severity of injuries, two critically injured passengers were airlifted by a helicopter ambulance to AIIMS Rishikesh for advanced care.
Victims, Allegations, and Official Response
The deceased have been identified as Govind Ballabh Mathpal (80) and his wife Parvati Devi (75), Tara Devi (50), Nandan Singh (65), Govindi Devi (58), and two Nepali nationals—Ganesh Bahadur (20) and Umesh (18). Among the heart-wrenching stories was that of a Class 12 student, Himanshu Paliwal (17), who survived the crash but lost his mother, Tara Devi.
Local residents pointed to the lack of safety measures at the accident site. Nandan Rawat, a resident, highlighted that the stretch is a known accident-prone zone. "There is a dangerous curve here, but no safety barriers or warning signs have been put up. Accidents are waiting to happen," he said. Some survivors also alleged that the driver was driving rashly.
Bus owner Mohammad Altaf mentioned that the vehicle was purchased just two months ago, had all valid documents, and underwent regular servicing. The exact cause is under investigation.
On the official front, District Magistrate Anshul Singh announced that relief under the Uttarakhand Road Transport Accident Relief Fund had been approved. A compensation of Rs 14 lakh has been sanctioned for the families of each deceased, to be disbursed swiftly through the tehsil administration.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences and directed officials to ensure the best treatment for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of lives, terming the accident as deeply saddening, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
