The death toll in the accident in which a bus carrying a marriage party fell into a gorge in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand reached 32 on Wednesday.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kotdwar, Shekhar Suyal said the bus was on its way to Pauri from Haridwar when it fell into the gorge near the Birokhal area of Dhumakot under Kotdwar block on Tuesday night, the police said.
“We have rescued all those who were there in the vehicle and now the spot is being investigated to know the cause of the accident,” Mr. Suyal said.
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The police said that as the news of the accident spread, villagers trekked to steep gorge to help those trapped in the bus.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also visited the accident spot on Wednesday and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 Lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
“The State Government and all its agencies are working round the clock with all the agencies of the Government of India to provide rescue and relief to all those directly affected by this accident,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
“The bus accident in Pauri is heart-rending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those who have been injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway. All possible assistance will be provided to those affected,” said the Prime Minister.
