Four people, including a woman and a child, died and 23 sustained injuries after a roadways bus fell into a 1,500-feet-deep gorge in Bhimtal’s Saldi area on Wednesday.

The roadways bus with 27 people on board, including the driver and the conductor bus, was coming from Pithoragarh, Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat said.
 

The accident occurred on the Bhimtal-Ranibagh road, following which the police immediately reached the spot and initiated rescue operations. The injured passengers were aided with ropes by the police and locals.

Four deaths were confirmed. The injured were brought in ambulances to Sushila Tiwari Hospital in Haldwani, he said.

Those killed were identified as Khadak Singh (55), his wife Ganga Dhami (48), Surendra Singh Dharmasattu (58) and Daksh Pant (6), an official said.

Most of the injured are in the general ward but some of them are also likely to be shifted to the ICU, the official added.

Nainital SSP Prahlad Meena told news agency ANI, that several people were injured after the roadways bus fell into the gorge and a relief team had been deployed to the spot.

Taking to X, Uttarakhand CM said he was saddened by the accident and ordered immediate relief and rescue operations.

“The news of the bus accident near Bhimtal is very sad. The local administration has been directed to carry out immediate relief and rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the travellers," he added.

भीमताल के निकट बस के दुर्घटनाग्रस्त होने का समाचार अत्यंत दुःखद है। स्थानीय प्रशासन को त्वरित राहत एवं बचाव कार्य के लिए निर्देशित किया है।बाबा केदार से सभी यात्रियों के सकुशल होने की कामना करता हूं।

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) December 25, 2024

He announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

An assistance of Rs 3 lakh will be given to the seriously injured and Rs 15,000-25,000 to those who sustained minor injuries, he said.

Relief and rescue operations were launched with the help of locals.
 

It was difficult for the fire department and SDRF teams to pull the bodies and the injured out of the gorge as the dept to which the bus had fallen was 1,500 feet, the official said.

They were pulled out of the ditch with the help of ropes, he said.