Over-crowded passenger vehicle falls into gorge in Himalayan state; 12 dead

At least 12 people were killed while five were injured after a passenger vehicle they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge near Palla village in Chamoli district of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Friday (18) afternoon.

This is the third major road accident in the state in the last six months in which 72 lives have been lost.

State chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident. His government announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of those who died.

In a tweet, he said, “The news of the death of several persons in a road accident in Chamoli is painful… The kin of each of the deceased in the accident will be provided financial help of Rs 2 lakh, and the injured will be treated free of cost. An order is issued for the magisterial inquiry of the accident.”

It was learnt from Uttarakhand's State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) that the 10-seater vehicle was carrying 17 passengers. Rescue operation was undertaken soon after the news of the accident broke. Top police and administrative officers reached the spot.

According to a report by the Indian Express, the crowded vehicle, which was travelling from Joshimath to Kimara in the same district, struggled to cross an elevated section and started moving backwards. Two passengers got down to stop the vehicle and put stones under the wheels, Yet, the disaster could not be avoided as the vehicle rolled down the 500-metre gorge.

Another source said that the driver of the vehicle applied sudden brakes when an animal came in front of the vehicle and its tyres slipped, causing the accident.

“We have recovered 12 bodies (10 male and 2 female)… the process to pull the bodies out of the gorge is on,” the SDRF said in a statement.

Officials said the deceased aged between 27 and 70 and were from the same district.