On Sunday evening, twenty-five pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh died and three were badly injured after their bus crashed into a deep gorge en way to the Yamunotri temple in Uttarkashi district.
According to Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Devendra Patwal, the accident occurred near Rikhavu khadd on the road to the Himalayan temple on NH-94, some two kilometres from Damta. The pilgrims were from Madhya Pradesh’s Panna area, according to Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi.
The bus had 28 passengers in addition to the driver and the assistance. So far, seventeen bodies have been discovered, with the others still being sought, according to Patwal.
Three people were hurt in the accident and were taken to Damta’s Community Health Centre. Ambulances from Badkot, Nagaon, and Nainbagh, as well as police and SDRF personnel, have been dispatched to the scene.
After learning of the catastrophe, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami went straight to the secretariat’s disaster management room. He requested that the Uttarkashi district magistrate expedite relief and rescue efforts. “Officials in charge have been told to look into the incident. May God offer the departed souls a seat at his feet and their loved ones the strength to bear the anguish. I also pray for the quick recovery of all those who have been injured “Dhami stated in a Hindi tweet.
Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, also spoke with Dhami to get an update on the situation. The disaster claimed the lives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, and Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh.
“The news of the Uttarakhand bus catastrophe is heartbreaking. My heartfelt condolences go out to anyone who have lost loved ones. The local government is providing all available support on the ground, under the supervision of the state government “Modi was quoted by the Prime Minister’s Office. “The Prime Minister has stated that the PMNRF will pay Rs 2 lakh in ex-gratia to the relatives of those who died in the Uttarakhand accident. Each injured person would receive Rs 50,000 “It was also added.
President Kovind offered his condolences to the bereaved families. In a Hindi tweet, he stated, “I am disturbed by the tragic news of persons dying in a bus accident in Uttarakhand.”
After the disaster, Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked to Dhami and said that local rescue teams were working on the rescue, and that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) men would arrive soon. “The news of a bus full of worshippers collapsing into a canyon in Uttarakhand is heartbreaking. On this, I’ve spoken with Chief Minister @pushkardhami. Rescue efforts are being carried out by local government and SDRF teams, and the injured are being transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The NDRF is on its way there as well “Shah added in a Hindi tweet.
Char Dham refers to the Himalayan shrines of Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Gangotri.
