At least eight people were killed when a pick-up vehicle rolled down a deep gorge on the Chheerakan-Reethasahib motor road of Okhalkanda in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand on Friday. According to Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police, Prahlad Narayan Meena, the accident occurred at around 8 am when the vehicle was going from Patlot to Amjad village.
He said the vehicle fell into the gorge while trying to save a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction. The SSP said that six people were killed on the spot, and two died at a hospital. A couple and their son were also among those who died in the accident, he added.
The SSP further said that three persons injured in the accident have been admitted to the Community Health Centre, Okhalkanda. Meanwhile, in a post on X, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
This comes amid a rescue operation underway in Uttarkashi after a tunnel collapsed and trapped 40 labourers inside on Nov 12.
On Nov 15, at least 36 people were killed as a bus travelling from Kishtwar to Jammu fell into a deep gorge in the Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda distinct. The bus was carrying around 40 passengers fell 300 feet downhill after it skidded off the road.
SDRF, police and locals launched a rescue operation and some bodies were retrieved during the operation. The injured were shifted to hospitals in Doda and Kishtwar, said Union Minister Jitendra Singh.