NEWS

85 pilgrims killed as truck falls into gorge

Source:PTI
September 08, 2007

At least 85 pilgrims, including women and children, were killed and 62 others injured when a truck carrying them fell into a gorge near Desuri-Ki-Naal village, almost 40 km from Rajasmand in Rajasthan, a senior police official said on Saturday.

75 bodies were taken out from the gorge last night, while 10 others succumbed to their injuries in various hospitals in Rajsamand, Pali and Udaipur districts, Rajiv Dasod, Inspector General of Police, Udaipur Range told PTI.

"Last night by 1 am, we had brought out 75 bodies. After the final counting and getting details from various hospitals, the death toll was 85," Dasod added.

According to unofficial reports, the death toll was 100.

The injured were rushed to various hospitals of the three districts, Dasod said, adding, the bodies were placed outside the Rajsamand hospital mortuary.

The pilgrims were going to the annual fair of famous Babaramdeo temple, a place devoted for the cure of leprosy and other skin diseases.

All the victims belonged to Mandari village in the district and had left their homes in the evening for the pilgrimage, the IGP said.

The mishap occurred when the truck driver lost control over the wheels while negotiating a sharp bend and the vehicle smashed through a protective wall on the road and hurtled into the 80-feet deep gorge.

Some of the bodies which were brought out were cut into pieces, the IGP said.

The state government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to the next of the kin of the deceased, an official spokesman said.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje will fly to the accident site and hospital today, the spokesman said.

The divisional commissioner of Jodhpur will conduct a probe into the mishap.

Source: PTI
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