NE NEWS SERVICE
RANCHI, NOV 1
A utility vehicle carrying 15 passengers fell into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand’s Chakrata town on Sunday, killing 13 people on the spot and leaving two injured, police said. The utility vehicle met with the accident near Bayala village on way to Vikasnagar from Tyuni, they said.
The driver lost control over the vehicle and it fell into a deep gorge, killing 13 people on the spot. A State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team retrieved the bodies, the police said, adding that the two injured persons were admitted to a nearby hospital.
They said the exact reason behind the accident is yet to be ascertained but overloading could be a cause. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the accident and said all possible help would be provided by the state government to the next of kin of the deceased and for the treatment of the injured.
Later, the CM announced ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives, and Rs 25,000 each for the injured, ANI reported.
Ordering a magisterial probe into the accident, Dhami asked the state roadways department to ensure that vehicles stop the practice of overloading. He also advised passengers not to travel in overloaded vehicles.
After receiving information about the accident, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly and Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh also reached the accident site to take stock of the situation.
