Condolences expressed, questions raised at cause of mishap

The bus mishap killing at least 48 persons on Sunday morning spread a wave of grief in the State and beyond. From the Prime Minister and Home Minister to the Governor, Chief Minister and Pradesh Congress Committee president, all have expressed deep grief at the scores of lives lost in the bus mishap in Pauri district early on Sunday morning. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister JP Nadda also expressed grief during telephonic talks with the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat while also assuring all possible help. While condolences were expressed, questions are also being raised about the cause of the mishap with unconfirmed reports citing damaged state of the road and overloading as probable causes of the mishap. The Chief Minister has ordered a magisterial probe into the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Extremely saddened by the bus accident in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway and authorities are providing all possible assistance at the accident site.” Expressing his condolences, the BJP national president Amit Shah tweeted also that he had spoken to the local BJP unit too to join the rescue operation. Governor Krishan Kant Paul and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat also expressed deep grief at the mishap. The Congress party members who were staging a protest at Gandhi Park on another issue also observed momentary silence to mourn the loss of lives in the accident.

Earlier, it took time for the information about the mishap to be relayed as the accident took place at a location where communication was not effectively clear.

Later, a helicopter dispatched to the accident site to bring the injured to hospital had to make an emergency landing at Ramnagar due to inclement weather. The injured were brought to Ramnagar from where they were being sent to higher centres by helicopter, according to official sources.

The CM TS Rawat along with other leaders also reached the hospital in Ramnagar to check on the condition of the injured.