DEHRADUN: Two killed and 14 others injured in a tragic road accident late on Saturday night when a tempo traveller carrying Delhi-bound tourists plunged nearly 80 feet into a deep gorge near Nainital.
The vehicle, packed with 16 passengers, was returning to Delhi after visiting the Kainchi Dham temple dedicated to Baba Neem Karori Maharaj when it veered off the road around 12:30 a.m. near the Matiyali Bend in Jyolikot — a stretch notorious for its sharp curves and steep slopes.
According to preliminary reports, the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to skid off the narrow mountain road and crash into the ravine.
Upon receiving information, Jyolikot outpost in-charge Shyam Singh Bora immediately dispatched a police team and alerted local villagers. Despite the darkness and difficult terrain, rescue personnel launched a two-hour operation to reach the victims.
“We managed to locate all 16 occupants in the ravine and systematically bring them up to the roadside. They were then rushed to Sushila Tiwari Hospital in Haldwani with the help of 108 ambulances," said SHO Bora.
At the hospital, doctors declared the tempo traveller driver, Sonu Singh of Rohtak in Haryana, and Gaurav Bansal dead. The remaining passengers are being treated, with several reported to be in critical condition.
Police said that initial findings point to a combination of driver error and the steep, winding road as the likely causes of the crash. A detailed investigation into the exact circumstances is underway.