At least one person died and several remain missing after an 18-seater tempo traveller plunged into the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Thursday. According to officials, seven others sustained injuries and were taken to nearby medical facilities.
Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey confirmed the casualties. “One person has died and seven people injured after an 18-seater fell into the Alaknanda river in Gholthir of Rudraprayag district. Teams of SDRF, police and administration are present on the spot for the rescue operation,” he told news agency ANI.
CM Dhami Monitors Rescue Operations
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences and assured the public that relief efforts were being carried out with urgency.
“The news of a tempo traveller falling into a river in Rudraprayag district is deeply tragic. Relief and rescue operations are being conducted on a war footing by SDRF and other rescue teams. I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter. I pray to God for everyone’s safety,” the Chief Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Vehicle Reportedly Lost Control
Inspector General Nilesh Anand Bharane of Uttarakhand Police said the vehicle lost control and veered off the road into the river near Gholthir. Emergency teams including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and administrative officials swiftly arrived at the site to launch search and rescue operations.
Recent Similar Incident in Mandi
This tragic incident comes just a week after a similar accident occurred in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, where a private bus fell into a gorge. One person died and 18 others sustained injuries. According to preliminary reports, the Mandi bus driver lost control after encountering a rough road patch and the vehicle plunged 200 feet into the valley.
Authorities in Uttarakhand have now issued fresh advisories for hill driving amid the ongoing monsoon season and urged caution among drivers, especially on mountainous and slippery terrain. Rescue efforts in Rudraprayag are ongoing as responders search for the missing passengers.