14 dead after vehicle falls into gorge in Uttarakhand; probe on

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], June 15 (ANI): At least 14 people were killed as a tempo traveller carrying 26 passengers fell into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Saturday after which the Uttarakhand government directed an investigation into the accident.
As many as 12 people were also injured, carrying 26 passengers in the tempo traveller. The tempo fell into a deep gorge on the Badrinath Highway in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand on Saturday.
Union Minister Ajay Tamta said that the state government, under the guidance of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami has admitted them to Rishikesh AIIMS.
"Some people have lost their lives and some have been injured. Our state government, under the guidance of our Chief Minister, has admitted them to Rishikesh AIIMS. The government is taking care of the injured people. Doctors and the entire administration are engaged and we want them to stay healthy and well," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dhami has given instructions to provide financial assistance of two lakhs each to the dependents of the deceased in the vehicle accident in Rudraprayag.
The Chief Minister has also given instructions to provide financial assistance of Rs 40,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 each to the general injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased who died in the Rudraprayag tempo traveller accident.
"An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the Prime Minister's Office stated on X.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met the people who were injured in the Rudraprayag Tempo Traveller accident at AIIMS Rishikesh.
"It is very important for the injured to get proper treatment. Their families are being informed, one by one. We have made all the arrangements to make sure that they get all the further required treatments. I have directed an investigation into this (accident)," he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the accident and said that local administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are engaged in rescue operations.
"Received the sad news of the road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. My condolences are with the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The local administration and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue work and all possible help is being provided to the injured. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured," Amit Shah wrote on X.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda also expressed condolences and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured in the accident.
"The news of many people getting killed in a road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, is extremely sad. The local administration is engaged in relief and rescue work with full readiness. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray to Baba Kedarnath Ji to grant speedy recovery to the injured," Nadda posted on X.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi posted on X, "The news of the death of many people due to a Tempo Traveller full of devotees falling into the Alaknanda river in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand is extremely sad. In this grief, I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I also hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. There is an appeal to Congress colleagues to help the administration in every possible way in the rescue work."
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the accident and said the seriously injured passengers are being airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh.
"Instructions have been given to the concerned officials for better treatment of the injured," he said.
The bus was heading to Rudraprayag from Noida when it fell into the 150-meter-deep gorge.
As per the instructions of Manikant Mishra, Commander SDRF, two teams of 14 members of SDRF from Post Ratuda and Agastyamuni immediately left for the spot with rescue equipment.
The said vehicle, carrying 26 passengers who had come here to visit the Chopta-Tungnath-Chandrashila trip, went out of control and crashed into a ditch about 500 metres below the main road.
SDRF teams led by SI Bhagat Singh Kandari and SI Dharmendra Panwar reached the spot and worked hard in extremely difficult conditions and carried out a joint rescue operation with the local police and people, during which 14 injured were rescued and sent to the District Hospital, Rudraprayag, by ambulance, from where seven seriously injured were airlifted to the higher centre, AIIMS Rishikesh. 12 people had died on the spot, whose bodies were also taken to the main road and handed over to the district police.
A team of SDRF was present at AIIMS, Rishikesh, under the leadership of Inspector Kavindra Sajwan, who took the injured to be airlifted from the helicopter and took them to the hospital. (ANI)