10 people killed as car plunges into gorge in Dehradun

Dehradun, Dec 10: Ten people including a woman and her three-year-old daughter were killed and two others injured when their car fell down a gorge in Chakrata area of Dehradun district early today.

The mishap occurred near Tingri village when the driver lost control over the vehicle carrying 12 persons from Haiyo village to Vikasnagar and it fell down a nearly 400-metre deep gorge, police control room here informed. Relief and rescue efforts were launched immediately by the police and nine bodies were recovered from the spot.

Another person died during treatment at a nearby hospital. The deceased include Jagna Devi (25) and her three-year-old daughter Monika, who hailed from Haiyo village, it said. Two persons injured in the mishap are still under treatment at the hospital where their condition is said to be stable.

According to the police, ITBP Sub Inspector Devendra Singh (35) was driving the vehicle when the mishap took place and he had asked the driver to take a backseat. Singh, too, was killed in the accident. Chief Minister Harish Rawat has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.

Expressing concern over the recent spurt in road accidents in the state, he said officials concerned must conduct random examination of vehicles plying especially in mountainous regions from time to time. Though what led to the accident is still unclear, it appears that the ITBP SI who was driving the car lost control over the vehicle near a turn and fell down the gorge.

PTI