Three pilgrims die, eight injured, nine missing as bus falls into Alaknanda
Dehradun, Jun 26 (UNI) Three pilgrims died, eight others were seriously injured and nine went missing as a bus going towards Badrimath Shrine fell into a 300 metres gorge in Rudraprayag on Thursday morning.
Chances of survival of the missing pilgrims seems to be remote, said State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) officials engaged in rescue and search operation.
Rescuers recovered three dead bodies while search for nine missing persons from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand was going on. Eight injured pilgrims were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Tragedy occurred near State Bank Turn, at Gholtir area in Rudraprayag when a 31-seater Char Dham pilgrimage bus UK 08 PA 7444, went out of control and plunged into Alaknanda River, nearly 300 meters down the road. The bus was going from Rudraprayag to Badrinath carrying passengers. Bus driver Sumit Kumar hailed from Haridwar. As many as 20 passengers were seated in the bus when the ill fated vehicle met the tragedy.
SDRF officials informed that some of the pilgrims were thrown out of the bus as it skidded into the gorge before going in the river. They were rescued from the gorge by SDRF, NDRF, local public, police and revenue department teams.
Around eight injured passengers were rescued and sent to Rudraprayag district hospital for medical aid. Some of the critically injured pilgrims were airlifted to All Iindia Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh.
Besides rescuing eight injured, SDRF and other rescue teams at the accident site recovered two dead identified as 42 year old Vishal Soni from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh and 17 years old Dirmi from Surat in Gujarat. Third body, that of a woman pilgrim was taken out of the river near Dhari Devi temple far down the stream where accident occurred.
As per SDRF she was one of missing persons but her identity could not be confirmed.
Injured pilgrims included Deepika Soni, 42, Hemlata Soni, 45, both from Rajasthan, Ishwar Soni, 46, Bhavna Soni, 43, and 7-year old girl Bhavya Soni, all three from Surat in Gujarat. Apart from them 10 year old boy Parth Soni, from Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh, bus driver Sumit Kumar, 23, from Bairagi Camp in Haridwar and Amita Soni, 49, a resident of Mira Road, Maharashtra were also sent to hospital for treatment.
Passengers stated to be missing were 28 years old Ravi Bhavsar, Lalit Kumar Soni, 48, Sanjay Soni,55, Chetna Soni, 52 and 77-year old Sushila Soni all residents of Udaipur, Rajasthan. Mauli Soni, 19, Mayuri,24, resident of Surat, Gujarat and 12 years old Cheshta all residents of Surat, Gujarat, Gauri Soni, 41, from Rajgarh Madhya Pradesh and Katta Ranjana Ashok,59, from Mira Road, Maharashtra were also informed by the SDRF as missing. Search and rescue operation was going on at the time of filing the story.
SDRF claimed that rescue operation was challenging due to the strong river current, harsh terrain, bad weather and deep gorge.
Expressing his grief over the accident chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that news of a bus carrying passengers plunging into a river in Rudraprayag was extremely sad "Relief and rescue operation is going on a war footing by SDRF and other agencies.I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter. Three seriously injured passengers have been airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for immediate medical assistance. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured" said Dhami.
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