Four people died after a car plunged into a deep gorge in the Jharipani area along Mussoorie Road on Wednesday, prompting a large-scale rescue and recovery operation involving multiple emergency agencies.
The accident was reported to authorities, following which teams from the police, Fire Service and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot and launched a joint operation.
An SDRF team from Sahastradhara, led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Manoj Joshi, was dispatched to the accident site after receiving information from the Dehradun District Control Room.
Officials said rescue teams faced difficult conditions due to the steep terrain and the depth of the gorge. According to preliminary information shared by the police, all four occupants of the vehicle died on the spot.
The SDRF said personnel from various agencies are working together to retrieve the bodies from the gorge and bring them to the roadside. After the recovery operation is completed, police will carry out the required legal procedures.
Recent Road Accidents in Uttarakhand
The fatal crash comes days after another road accident in Uttarakhand, where a local bus overturned near Kaudiyala while travelling towards Rishikesh. Authorities said the bus was carrying 39 passengers at the time of the accident. While most escaped unharmed, eight people suffered minor injuries.
Tehri Garhwal District Disaster Management Officer Brijesh Bhatt said, “The local bus was heading towards Rishikesh and was carrying 39 passengers at the time of the incident. Eight passengers suffered minor injuries, while all others are safe. Preliminary information suggests that the accident may have occurred due to brake failure.”
He added that revenue officials, police personnel, ambulance services and SDRF teams reached the spot shortly after the incident.
Pilgrim Bus Accident in Haridwar
Earlier this month, another major road accident took place in Haridwar when a bus carrying pilgrims overturned after being hit from behind by a dumper truck near Shantikunj.
The pilgrims were returning after taking a holy dip in the Ganges when the collision occurred.
Speaking about the incident, Haridwar CO City Shishupal Singh Negi said, “A report came in the morning from the Control Room regarding a bus–specifically a double-decker–bearing an ‘AP’ (Andhra Pradesh) registration number, but the owner was based in Rajasthan, hailing from Nagaur. The bus was carrying pilgrims who had arrived as part of a convoy of three buses.”
Officials said the impact of the collision caused the bus to overturn, triggering an immediate rescue operation.
According to SDM Yogesh Mehra, 26 injured passengers were taken for medical treatment.
(With Inputs from ANI)