New Delhi, May 30: A devastating road accident occurred in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Saturday morning. An Eco van, returning from Dehradun with a deceased body for cremation, veered off course and plunged approximately 400 to 500 meters into a gorge. Tragically, three members of the same family lost their lives at the scene, while three others sustained serious injuries.
According to police reports, the incident took place around 5:50 AM in the forest area of village Lwani. Balbir Singh (52), a resident of Bank, Lohajang, was traveling with his family in a private Eco van (UK 07 D 2979) to bring the body of the late Bhajan Singh back to their village. Bhajan Singh had passed away during treatment in Dehradun. A total of six individuals were in the vehicle.
Initial investigations suggest that the driver may have fallen asleep, causing the vehicle to lose control and slide off the road into the deep gorge. The deceased have been identified as Balbir Singh (50), son of late Narayan Singh, Shanti Devi (48), Balbir’s wife, and Anshu Bisht (18), their son. The injured include Kavita Devi (32), wife of Khushal Singh, Mayank Singh (8), their son, and Roshni (18), daughter of Lakshman Singh.
The injured were promptly transported to a hospital via ambulance, where they are currently receiving treatment. A joint rescue operation was launched by the DDRF team, local police, and administration to recover the bodies from the gorge. The Tharali police station chief arrived at the scene to oversee the relief efforts.
The sub-district magistrate of Tharali has also been informed. An FIR has been filed, and an investigation into the causes of the accident has commenced. This tragic event has cast a pall of grief over the entire area. Locals have expressed concerns about the narrow and dangerous road segment, urging the administration to enhance safety measures, including guardrails and signage.
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