Five persons-all women- died and 11 persons were injured when the boulders rolled down from lohani hills and fell on the bus they were travelling in at lohani on the Almora- Haldwani highway in Nainital district on Monday.
The injured were rushed to the local hospital. later, two of the seriously injured were referred to higher centres in Haldwani, given their worsening conditions. In all, 27 persons of Padampuri Kachchi Nali Colony, Kotdwar (Pauri) were returning to Kotdwar from Jageshwar Dham after offering prayer at the shrine on Monday.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat mourned the deaths of five persons in the accident and wished speedy recovery of the injured.
Police sources said that when the bus reached lohani hill, considered very sensitive to landslide, a boulder rolled down and fell on the rear part of the bus, killing five persons on the spot. They are Rani Negi 44, Sumitra Bisht 55, Rukma Devi 60, Godavari Devi 42 and Jageshwar Devi 58. The injured are Narotam, Beena Devi, Jasauda, Pranav, Balmati, Rajeshwari, Beena Negi, Shwentra, Meena Devi, Sulochana and Sulochana. Police rushed to the spot on being informed by the local residents and conducted rescue operation.
The injured were admitted at community health centre based at Garampani. later, Narotam and Beena were referred to Sushila Tiwari Hospital in Haldwani, given their deteriorating condition. Post-mortem of the deceased is being done, said a police officer.
In another incident, five persons were injured when the vehicle they were sitting in fell into a deep gorge of 200 metres at Ghat in Pithoragarh district. All the injured were admitted at the district hospital, Pithoragarh. They were going to Ghat from Pithoragarh. The incident occurred at 12.30 pm on Monday, police informed.