Tragic Accident in Uttarakhand: 14 Tourists Killed as Vehicle Plunges into River

In a tragic incident on the Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand, a tempo traveller carrying tourists veered off the road and plummeted into the Alaknanda River, resulting in the death of fourteen individuals and injuries to twelve others. The accident occurred near Raitoli village at approximately 11:30 am on Saturday, as the vehicle, with 26 occupants en route to Chopta, descended a 200-metre gorge.

Immediate reports from the district administration confirmed that ten passengers died at the scene, while four others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Among the deceased was the driver, Karan Singh. The victims hailed from various locations including Noida, Mathura, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Haldwani in Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana.

Rescue operations were swiftly launched by police and the Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), under challenging conditions to access the severely damaged vehicle. District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar and Superintendent of Police Vishakha Ashok Bhadane oversaw these efforts. Remarkably, a woman who was ejected from the vehicle during the accident was rescued from bushes approximately 80 metres from the road.

Following Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's directives, seven critically injured individuals were airlifted to AIIMS, Rishikesh for urgent care. AIIMS-Rishikesh issued a health bulletin stating that two of these patients had passed away before arrival. Dr Ruby Kataria, a trauma surgeon at AIIMS-Rishikesh, highlighted that a dedicated team is treating five survivors who are in critical condition with severe injuries.

The Chief Minister has ordered an investigation into the incident and visited AIIMS to inquire about the injured's welfare. He assured that families of the victims would receive support from the state government and directed officials to take measures to prevent such accidents in the future.

An ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased has been announced by both the Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, the seriously injured will receive Rs 40,000 and others injured will get Rs 10,000 from the state government. The Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will also provide Rs 50,000 to those injured.

Leaders across India including President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed their condolences over this devastating event. The Prime Minister's Office shared a message of condolence on X and wished a speedy recovery for those injured.

This accident underscores a broader issue of road safety within Uttarakhand and across India. In 2022 alone, Uttarakhand reported 1,674 accidents leading to 1,042 fatalities and 1,613 injuries. Nationally, there were 4,61,312 road accidents resulting in 1,68,491 deaths and 4,43,366 injuries during the same period.

The collective grief expressed by national leaders alongside immediate relief efforts underscores the profound impact of this tragedy on the community and highlights ongoing concerns regarding road safety measures within India.