ALMORA: A celebratory trip turned into a tragedy late Thursday night when a car carrying eight people plummeted into a deep gorge near Basauli on the Almora-Takula motor road. The accident claimed three lives, including an 11-month-old boy, while five others sustained critical injuries.
The victims, all relatives of a bride, were returning to Delhi after attending a wedding ceremony in Jhijhar village. The incident occurred between Churadi and Mahendra Club when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, a Maruti Brezza (DL9CBH8402), causing it to veer off the road and tumble 150 metres down the hillside.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi confirmed the deployment of rescue teams immediately after receiving the report. "Upon receiving information, an SDRF team from the Sariyapani post, led by Sub-Inspector Pankaj Dangwal, rushed to the spot. We found that the vehicle had lost control and crashed into a deep ravine," Yaduvanshi told TNIE.
The rescue operation, conducted at night with the help of local police and residents, faced significant challenges due to the steep terrain. Despite their efforts, three passengers were declared dead at the scene. The deceased have been identified as 11-month-old Rehan, Manju Devi (44), and Dinesh Ram (50).
Rehan’s parents, Jaya (25) and Mahesh Arya (25), are among the five survivors currently battling for their lives at a nearby hospital. The impact of the fall left the vehicle completely mangled.
Passersby who witnessed the accident were the first to alert the authorities. "The gorge was approximately 150 metres deep, which made the extraction process extremely difficult for the rescue teams," a police official stated.
Local authorities have sent the bodies to the Base Hospital for post-mortem examinations. While preliminary reports suggest the driver lost control on a sharp bend, the Almora police have initiated a formal investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.