Nainital (Uttarakhand), May 21 (PTI) Five devotees, including four members of a family from Lucknow, were killed after their car plunged into a 500-metre-deep gorge in the Bhowali area here on Thursday, police said.
Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, assisted by locals, launched a rescue operation. However, none of the occupants survived the crash, they said.
The family was travelling to Kainchi Dham via the Sanatorium-Ratighat bypass road when the vehicle went out of control near Dhaila village, Nainital Superintendent of Police (Crime) Jagdish Chandra said.
Senior Superintendent of Police Manjunath TC said rescue teams were rushed to the spot immediately, adding that the difficult terrain made the operation highly challenging.
The deceased were identified as Bhupendra Singh Chuphal (48), Seema Kaida Chuphal (45), Vasu Chuphal (19), Ravi Chuphal (12), and the driver Anuj Kumar Mishra (34).
Locals alleged that the accident site falls along a proposed bypass for Kainchi Dham where construction work is underway. They claimed that safety arrangements at several spots on the stretch were inadequate.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the accident and directed district administration to ensure all necessary relief measures. He also conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. PTI COR DPT AKY AKY MDO MDO
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