Tragedy in Uttarakhand: Bus Plunges into River, Claims Lives

In a harrowing incident that unfolded in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, a bus carrying 20 passengers veered off its course, leading to a tragic plunge into the Alaknanda River early Thursday morning. The bus, on its route from Rudraprayag to Badrinath, collided head-on with another vehicle in the Gholthir area, spiraling out of control and tumbling into a 300-meter-deep gorge.

Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary of Disaster Management in Uttarakhand, confirmed that out of the 20 bus occupants, eight were rescued while three tragically lost their lives. The search continues for the remaining passengers. Among the 20, there was a driver from Haridwar, with passengers hailing from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

Rescue teams comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), district police, fire department, and local revenue officials arrived promptly at the scene, assisted by local residents. Some passengers, who managed to jump from the bus before it hit the river, were saved and treated at the Rudraprayag District Hospital. A search operation is underway near the Srinagar Garhwal dam, approximately 40 kilometers downstream, amid concerns that some passengers might have been carried away by the river's strong currents. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed profound sorrow over the incident and affirmed ongoing relief and rescue measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)