In a tragic accident, four people died and 24 others were injured when a bus, they were travelling in, skidded off the road and slipped into a deep gorge at Dhumakot, Pauri on Saturday. However, death toll is likely to rise further with the condition of some of the injured remaining critical. Eight of them were flown to higher medical centre in Dehradun on chopper at the initiative of the Governor.
The ill-fated bus was plying from Ramnagar to Rikhnikhal. At around 9.45 am, the bus with 28 passengers on board departed for Rikhnikhal (Pauri) from Ramnagar (Nainital). The bus driver is supposed to have lost control while negotiating a sharp bend at a place around 1 km away from Dhumakot under Nainidanda Block, Pauri, resulting in the bus plunge into a deep gorge.
The local residents rushed to the spot and tried to rescue the passengers. later, local police arrived at the spot. Four persons, including a woman, are learnt to have died on the spot while around 24 others were left injured in the accident.
The injured were rushed to a local Government hospital. later, some of them were flown to higher medical centres on choppers.
The deceased woman was identified as Godbari Devi, resident of Patotiya, Dhumakot. The other three are still unidentified, police said.
Pauri SP Rajeev Swaroop said that the accident had occurred around 1.30 pm nearly 160 kms away from the district headquarters. local police and SDRF personnel were pressed into rescue operation.