TV
At least two people lost their lives, eight others sustained injuries, and 10 reported missing after a vehicle carrying pilgrims fell into the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand on Thursday morning, police confirmed.
The accident occurred near Gholthir village on the Badrinath National Highway, between Rudraprayag and Gauchar. Rescue and relief operations were promptly launched, with teams from various agencies reaching the site soon after the incident.
Rescue Teams Recover Two Bodies
According to Satyendra Singh Bhandari, a member of the Red Cross Society’s rescue unit, two bodies have so far been recovered, one from the accident site and another downstream near Rudraprayag, as reported by PTI.
Seven Injured, Ten Still Unaccounted For
Seven people, including three women and two children, were among those injured. All injured passengers have been admitted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Bhandari added that ten individuals are still unaccounted for, and efforts are ongoing to trace them.
Vehicle Was En Route To Badrinath Dham
There were a total of 20 people, including the driver, in the tempo traveller when it veered off the road and plunged into the river at approximately 7:30 am. The cause of the accident has not been officially confirmed.
Preliminary accounts from survivors suggest that the vehicle was en route to Badrinath Dham when the mishap took place. The group of pilgrims had reportedly travelled from Udaipur in Rajasthan to undertake the Char Dham Yatra, one of the holiest pilgrimages in Uttarakhand.
Search And Rescue Operations Ongoing
Local authorities, police personnel, and emergency teams are continuing search and rescue operations along the riverbanks, while divers have been deployed to locate the missing. Further updates are awaited as the situation develops.
