Dhar jeweller dead, wife missing in Rudraprayag accident
The accident occurred on Thursday in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, claiming three lives. Vishal Soni, 42, a resident of Rajgarh in the Sardarpur region of Madhya Pradesh, was among the deceased. His wife Gauri Soni (41) is still untraceable, while their 10-year-old son Parth, who was initially missing, was later found safe.
The family had set out on a spiritual journey to Char Dham.
Dhar SDOP Vishwadeep Singh Parihar said, "Three people have been confirmed dead, including Vishal Soni, a resident of Rajgarh in the Sardarpur area of Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
His wife Gauri Soni (41) remains missing, while their 10-year-old son Parth has been found safe."
Police said that Parth was at the hospital undergoing treatment.
Dhar district officials said they learnt about the incident through media reports. Parihar said, "Rescue operations are underway, and efforts are being made to trace Gauri Soni. Parth, the only child of the couple, is safe and receiving care. The vehicle was ferrying the Soni family who had visited Kedarnath and were en route to Badrinath Dham."
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The visuals and testimonies before the accident show Vishal Soni with his wife and child posing happily during the pilgrimage. Vishal, a well-known jeweller, owned a shop at the main square in Rajgarh. His family had undertaken the Char Dham Yatra along with a group of friends and extended family members from different parts of the state. Relatives of Vishal have since left for Uttarakhand, accompanied by officials from the Dhar police and administration.
Additional SP Gitesh Garg confirmed the developments and said that Parth has been contacted and is safe, while the search for Gauri continues. The NDRF and SDERF is conducting an extensive rescue operation across a 40-kilometre stretch of the Alaknanda River from the accident site, particularly near a dam in Garhwal.
They said that the traveller had also not been found and was washed away. It is suspected that the remaining nine missing pilgrims were trapped inside and couldn't come out.
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