RUDRAPRAYAG, 26 June — A pilgrimage journey ended in tragedy on Wednesday when an 18-seater bus skidded off the road and plunged into the Alaknanda River near Gholthir in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, killing one person and injuring seven others.
According to local officials, the bus was carrying a group of pilgrims when it lost control and veered into the river’s fast-moving waters. The cause of the accident is yet to be determined.
Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and the district administration rushed to the site shortly after the incident and launched a joint search and rescue operation.
“We are continuing efforts to ensure no one remains trapped. The terrain is difficult, and the current of the river is strong,” said a senior SDRF official present at the site. The injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, he added.
Eyewitnesses said the crash occurred suddenly on a sharp turn. “It all happened in seconds. We heard a loud crash and then saw the vehicle in the river,” said one local resident who alerted authorities.
Officials confirmed that most of the passengers were pilgrims, though their exact identities are still being verified. “We are in the process of contacting the families of those involved,” a district administration spokesperson said.
As rescue operations continued late into the evening, authorities stressed the need for caution on hilly roads, particularly during the monsoon season, which often makes driving conditions treacherous.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain what led to the mishap.
