Uttarakhand: 22 dead after bus falls into gorge in Uttarkashi

The bus was carrying 28 passengers from Panna district in Madhya Pradesh to Yamunotri

TT Bureau And Agencies   |   New Delhi   |    05.06.22  :At least 22 people have died and six have been people injured after a bus carrying pilgrims fell into a gorge near Damta in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on Sunday.

According to NDTV reports, the bus was carrying 28 passengers from Panna district in Madhya Pradesh to Yamunotri. Senior officials, including Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela, have rushed to the spot. Further information is awaited.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. He tweeted, "Local admin & SDRF teams engaged in rescue work. Injured being taken to a hospital for treatment. NDRF reaching soon."

 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also tweeted on the incident, saying, "The death of pilgrims, from Panna district, after their bus fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand, is unfortunate. Our team is in constant touch with the Uttarakhand government. Arrangements being done for the treatment of injured & to bring back the dead."

Yamunotri along with the shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri are commonly known as Char Dham.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday following the accident.

Local rescue teams are engaged in the rescue operation while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel will also reach the spot shortly.

"It is very sad to hear about the bus of devotees falling into a gorge in Uttarakhand. I have spoken to Chief Minister @pushkardhami on this. Local administration and SDRF teams are engaged in rescue work and the injured are being taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. NDRF is also reaching there soon," Shah said in a tweet in Hindi.

The bus was carrying over 30 passengers to Yamunotri, officials said.

With PTI inputs