At least two people were killed and eight sustained critical injuries after a bus fell into the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Thursday morning.
The vehicle was en route to Kedarnath when the driver reportedly lost control at a sharp bend near Gholtir, leading to the fatal plunge, reported TOI.
According to police, the impact of the fall and strong river currents swept the vehicle downstream, complicating rescue efforts. Nine passengers remain unaccounted for as of Thursday evening. A large-scale rescue operation involving the Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police teams from Augustmuni, Ratura, and Gochar is underway. The region’s treacherous terrain—marked by narrow roads and steep slopes—has made the mission particularly challenging.
Rudraprayag is a key transit district on the Char Dham pilgrimage route and often sees heavy tourist and pilgrim traffic during the yatra season. The frequency of road accidents along this corridor has raised ongoing concerns about road safety, particularly around blind curves and poorly protected mountain edges.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the tragedy and said he is monitoring the situation closely. “The news of a tempo traveller falling into a river in Rudraprayag district is extremely saddening,” Dhami wrote on social media platform X. “SDRF and other rescue teams are carrying out relief and rescue operations on a war footing. I am in constant touch with the local administration regarding the incident.”
Officials have not yet released the identities of the deceased or missing passengers. Authorities are expected to file a preliminary accident report once the rescue operation concludes.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by our editors.
Photo by Akshay syal on Unsplash
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