In two different road accidents, including one near lata in Chamoli district during intervening night of Thursday and Friday, and another near Daga in Srinagar of Pauri district on Friday morning, 17 persons were killed, while 18 others sustained critical injuries.
In the incident that took place on Friday morning, 13 people were killed and 18 others sustained severe injuries when a bus carrying 30 passengers Daga to Srinagar in Pauri district fell on 100 feet deep gorge, police said, adding that the injured were admitted to government hospital where some of them are in critical condition.
Police said that seven persons died on the spot, while six others succumbed to their injuries while under treatment. Circle officer Keerti Nagar Atar Singh Rawat, who was first to reach the spot after receiving information about the incident, said that six persons were killed on the spot in the incident and five others, who were admitted to the hospital in critical condition, lost their battle for life during treatment. Similarly, one more critically injured passenger, who was referred to Jolly Grant hospital, succumbed to injuries on way to it.
Police officials along with rescue team started rescue operation soon after the information about it. The teams rescued injured got entangled in the badly damaged bus after hours long hard work. They were immediately taken to the local health centre from 108 service. After carrying out examination, doctors announced condition of six passengers critical. The passengers in critical condition later succumbed to the injuries.
Moreover, eyewitnesses said that incident was so extreme that parts of the bus were thrown into air. The cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained. But the spot where incident took place road was bumpy and was in extremely bad shape. State administration has ordered a probe in the matter.
In the incident that took place during intervening night of Thursday and Friday, four passengers, including the truck driver, were killed when a vehicle loaded with food grains crashed into a truck near lata on Joshimath-Malari National Highway on late Thursday night, police said, adding that the deceased were identified as Devendra Singh, a resident of Joshimath Dugri, Rajesh Badola, vehicle driver Pan Singh, and Virendra Bahadur.
Bisht was employed with food department, Joshimath, police said. Soon after receiving the information, administration reached the spot along with a rescue team. The team along with the locals started rescue operation. The bodies were taken to community health centre whereon post mortem was carried out after completing the formalities. Bodies were handed over to kin.
The fierce incident left locals shocked. The local traders kept their shops closed for few hours after the incident.
The shops in the market opened in the afternoon. A meeting, which was scheduled at Kotwali to review preparations for the Char Dham Yatra, was postponed.
In the meantime, Uttarakhand Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi has expressed grief at the death of several people in the road mishaps which occurred in lata in Chamoli last night and Kirtinagar area in Tehri on Friday morning. He prayed to God to give peace to the departed souls, strength to their families to bear the loss and a speedy recovery to those injured.