Uttarakhand: 10 killed as tempo traveller plunges into Alaknanda river

Ten tourists were killed and 13 injured when a tempo traveller skidded off the road and fell into Alaknanda river on Badrinath national highway in Uttarakhand here on Saturday, officials said.

Garhwal Inspector General of Police KS Nagnyal said that the victims of the accident were tourists on the way to visit Chopta.

Nagnyal said 26 people were in the vehicle and most of them were residents of Delhi. Ten people died in the accident, the IG said.

On Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's instructions, seven persons seriously injured in the accident have been admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh through heli-ambulance, while six others are being treated at Rudraprayag district hospital, he said.

District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said the accident happened around 11 am, and police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams rushed to the spot and started relief and rescue operations.

He said that the vehicle fell on the banks of Alaknanda river about 250 meters below the road.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident and termed it 'heartbreaking'.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister's Office said, 'The road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand is heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish speedy recovery of all the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible help to the victims.'

President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

In a post on X in Hindi, Murmu said, 'The news of the death of several people in a road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand is sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident.

In a post on X, he said: 'Received the tragic news of the road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. My condolences are with the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The local administration and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue work and all possible help is being provided to the injured. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured.'

CM Dhami expressed grief over the accident and ordered the district magistrate to investigate the incident. He also directed officials to provide necessary treatment to the injured.

In a post on X, the chief minister said that the local administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team are engaged in relief and rescue operations and that the injured have been admitted to the nearest medical centre.

He added, "We are fully committed to provide all possible help to the injured."