In a ghastly road accident at least 13 persons died while 12 others injured when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge of 250 metres at Ranikhet in Almora district on Tuesday. The accident occurred at around 8.30 am on Ramnagar motor road near Kalidhar Muhana in Almora district.
A total of 27 persons, including the bus driver and the conductor, was in the ill-fated bus which was going to Ramnagar in Nainital district from Deghat in Almora district. The bus left Deghat at around 5 am for Ramnagar, police said. District police, SDRF and local police rushed to the spot and conducted rescue and relief operation.
SSP P Renuka Devi along with police officers also rushed to the spot and monitored the rescue and relief operation. She confirmed that 13 persons had died in the accident. .
She further said that 12 persons, including bus driver, died on the spot while one more succumbed in course of treatment at a local hospital.
As per the police, the deceased have been identified as Suresh Kumar, resident of Syaldey; Manju Devi, resident of Bhikiyasain; Mukesh Kumar, resident of Syaldey; Hema Devi, resident of Syaldey; Daulat Singh Manral, resident of Syaldey; Neevan Chandra, Syaldey; Rajesh Kumar, resident of Baribagicha; Bhairav Dutt, resident of Syaldey; Bhagat Singh, resident of Patharkhola; Gopal Singh, native of Panipat, Haryana; Anand Singh Bangari, resident of Syaldey and Satish Chandra Joshi, resident of Danpur, Udham Singh Nagar.
The injured were admitted in Ramnagar based hospital, police informed. Doctors were brought at Ramnagar hospital from Salt, Bhikiyasain and Bhatraujkhan for treatment of the injured. Eight of the injured are learnt to have been referred to a higher centre in Haldwani as their condition worsened.
The injured have been identified as Harish Rawat, resident of Chamkana; Gajendra Singh, resident of Bhatraujkhan; Dalip Singh, resident of Totam; Devi Dutt, resident of Hiramani; Kalawati Chandra, resident of Bhakiyasain; Babita Bangari, resident of Talla Bhakura; Utkarsha Bangari, resident of Talla Bhakura; Chandra Devi, resident of Ghansua; Gopal Ram, resident of Qyuri, Mahindra Singh, resident of Chirkhar; Sanjay Pandey, resident of Jaspur and Narendra Singh, resident of Bhikiyasain.
Governor KK Paul and CM Rawat expressed grief over the deaths of 13 persons in the road accident reported from Almora district and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and wished speedy recovery of the injured.
The CM talked to Almora and Nainital district magistrates at around 10 am and enquired into the progress of the ongoing rescue and relief operation. He asked them to ensure that there is no negligence on the part of the administration in the process of medical treatment of the injured. He also directed district magistrates to give financial assistance as immediate compensation to the bereaved family members.
DM informed the CM that 108 ambulance service teams from revenue department, police department and SDRF have been rushed to the spot. CM was also informed that self help group members who were given training by SDRF also reached the spot to conduct rescue and relief operation.