DEHRADUN: Eight people died and six others were injured, two critically, after a Maxx pickup vehicle plunged into a gorge in Uttarakhand's border district of Pithoragarh on Tuesday evening. The vehicle was en route from Muwani village, under Thal police station, to Bokta village.
According to police, the ill-fated vehicle lost control near Suni Bridge and plummeted nearly 300 meters into the gorge. Among the deceased are two schoolchildren.
Pithoragarh Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav confirmed the grim details, stating, "A vehicle carrying 14 people met with an accident near Suni bridge in Muwani village, resulting in 8 deaths. Police and SDRF personnel immediately reached the spot and conducted relief and rescue operations."
The devastating incident occurred approximately 52 kilometers from the district headquarters. With 14 passengers on board, the vehicle plunged into the deep gorge, reportedly with screams filling the air. Eight people died on the spot.
Local villagers, alongside police personnel, immediately launched a swift rescue operation. The injured were pulled from the gorge and transported to the district hospital for urgent medical attention. All the deceased were reportedly residents of Bokta village, casting a pall of gloom over the community.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep condolences over the Pithoragarh road accident. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed profound grief over the accident. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "Received the extremely sad news of a vehicle accident in the Muwani area of Pithoragarh district, which is very painful." The Chief Minister directed the district administration and rescue teams to expedite relief efforts and ensure the injured receive timely, appropriate, and free medical treatment.
Police have released the identities of the eight passengers who died and the six who sustained injuries. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Among those confirmed dead are Simran (8), Tanuja (14), and Vineeta (15), both daughters of Chandra Singh. Narendra Singh (40), identified as the vehicle's driver and son of Chandra Singh, was also among the fatalities. Other victims include Rajan Singh (60), Hoshiyar Singh (65), Shanti Devi (50), and Diksha (26).