At Least 7 Dead, 27 Injured As Bus Carrying Gujarati Piligrims Falls Into Gorge In Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi

Seven people were killed and 27 others were injured after a bus carrying 35 passengers fell into a 50-metre-deep gorge near Gangani on the Gangotri national highway in Uttarakhand on Sunday.

The incident occurred around 4 pm, while the bus was travelling from Gangotri to Uttarkashi.

Source : PTI

At least seven people were killed and 27 injured when a bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat fell into a gorge in Uttarkashi district of the hill state on Sunday (August 20). The bus with 35 people on board was returning from Gangotri when it met with an accident at Gangnani. As per the preliminary information, the tourists travelling on the ill-fated bus were from Bhavnagar, news agency PTI reported citing officials familiar with the matter. 

Gaurav Kumar, the Chief Development Officer of Uttarkashi, said: "A bus carrying 35 people from Gangotri fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi. 27 injured have been rescued while 7 people have died."

VIDEO | "A bus carrying 35 people from Gangotri fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi. 27 injured have been rescued while 7 people have died. Rescue operation is underway," says Gaurav Kumar, chief development officer, Uttarkashi. pic.twitter.com/qUJilJ83rO

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 20, 2023

The incident occurred around 4 pm, while the bus was travelling from Gangotri to Uttarkashi.

Devendra Patwal, the Uttarkashi district disaster management officer (DDMO), stated, "Seven people were killed and 27 others were injured after a bus carrying 35 people fell into a gorge near Gangani on the Gangotri national highway."The injured had been transported to the hospital for treatment," PTI quoted him as saying. 

The rescue operation was being carried out by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and other teams, he said. Patwal stated that the identities of those who died and were injured were being determined. 

The cause of the accident, according to officials, is also unknown at this time.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that his government is in constant touch with the Uttarakhand administration and expressed grief over the incident.

ઉત્તરાખંડમાં બસ ખીણમાં પડવાના લીધે ગુજરાતના યાત્રિકોએ જીવ ગુમાવ્યો તે કરુણ ઘટનાથી વ્યથિત છું. મૃતકોના પરિવારજનો પ્રત્યે મારી આત્મીય સંવેદના વ્યક્ત કરું છું.

ગુજરાત સરકાર આ ઘટનાને લઈને ઉત્તરાખંડ સરકાર સાથે સતત સંપર્કમાં છે. ઇજાગ્રસ્ત નાગરિકો ઝડપથી સાજા થાય તેવી પ્રાર્થના.

— Bhupendra Patel (@Bhupendrapbjp) August 20, 2023

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed his condolences for the deaths of seven people in the accident and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

"May God grant the departed souls peace and the bereaved family members strength to bear this loss. I wish all those injured a speedy recovery," he said on X (formerly known as Twitter).

गंगोत्री से उत्तरकाशी जा रही बस के गंगनानी में दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हो जाने से कुछ लोगों के हताहत होने का अत्यंत पीड़ादायक समाचार प्राप्त हुआ है। प्रशासन को त्वरित रूप से राहत और बचाव कार्य संचालित करने एवं घायलों के उपचार के लिए उचित व्यवस्था सुनिश्चित करने हेतु निर्देशित किया है।…

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) August 20, 2023

Dhami stated that he has directed the district administration to conduct relief and rescue operations as well as make proper arrangements for the treatment of the injured.