6 injured as vehicle in President's convoy rolls down deep gorge

An SUV in President Pranab Mukherjee's motorcade skidded off a hilly road and went down a 100-feet gorge near in Darjeeling on Friday, injuring six people including an IB officer.

The accident happened near Sonada when the third vehicle in the Presidential convoy slipped off the road and fell down. The convoy also had West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was travelling along with the President to Delhi to attend the inter state council meeting on Saturday.

Because of low visibility due to rains and fog, the SUV, Mahindra Scorpio, which was third car in the convoy carrying Security Liaison Officer of the Intelligence Bureau and local police officials, skidded off the road and rolled down the deep gorge before getting stuck in trees near Sonada, 30 kms from Darjeeling.

The President, who was on his way to Bagdogra to catch a flight to Delhi after a four-day trip to the region, "is safe" and the convoy was halted for sometime at a secured location, his Press Secretary Venu Rajamony said.

Among those injured was A P Singh, chief security liaison officer of the President.

The injured IB officer was being brought to Delhi.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted, "Car in President's carcade from Darjeeling to Bagdogra goes off road, minor injuries to security personnel; #PresidentMukherjee safe"

"Unfortunate accident involving escort vehicle in convoy enroute to Bagdogra today ;everybody well by grace of God #PresidentMukherjee," it said.

"#PresidentMukherjee proceeds to Bagdogra to emplane for Delhi after ensuring injured security personnel safe and have received medical attn (sic)," the tweet said. 

The accident happened while the vehicle was negotiating a bend, ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma said, adding all the six security personnel have been rescued after a 45-minute rescue operation and admitted to a hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Mukherjee, 80, to enquire about his well-being immediately after learning about the accident.

The rescue operation was supervised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whose cavalcade was following the President's convoy.

As the security personnel frantically started the rescue operation, Banerjee herself took a loudspeaker and called out to the personnel who had fallen into the gorge to trace their location.

The President's son and MP Abhijeet Mukherjee also chipped in the rescue efforts and tried to descend into the gorge but was stopped by security personnel.

Army personnel, along with those working in the President's Secretariat, were engaged in the rescue operation.

Security norms do not allow doors of security vehicles to be locked which proved a boon for the personnel as they were thrown out the vehicle as it rolled down the gorge.

Army personnel along with those working in the Presidential Secretariat were engaged in the rescue operations.

The President was on a four-day visit to Darjeeling from July 12.