Nainital, Nov 23 (IANS) Three teachers, including the president of the Government Teachers’ Union of Haldwani Block, were killed when their car lost control and fell nearly 60 metres into the Shipra River in the Ratighat area on the Almora-Haldwani highway in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district, police said on Sunday.

One injured teacher, who survived the crash, was given first aid at CHC Khairna before being referred to Haldwani in critical condition, the officials said.

According to the police, four teachers, among them 50-year-old Sanjay Singh Bisht and Manoj Kumar, Block President of the Government Teachers’ Union in Haldwani of Almora district, were travelling by car to attend a marriage ceremony on Saturday.

The accident occurred around 7 p.m. on Saturday when the vehicle lost balance on a stretch near Ratighat and plunged about 60 metres into the river.

A child who witnessed the crash informed Ratighat resident Tara Singh Bisht, who immediately alerted others. Tara Singh and BJP Mandal President Neeraj Bisht were the first to reach the spot, the officials said.

Police teams and SDRF personnel rushed to the location after they were notified. Rescuers, along with local residents, pulled Sanjay and Manoj from the mangled vehicle and transported both to Garampani CHC.

Sanjay died during treatment, while Manoj was referred to Haldwani for further medical care.

Two other teachers, Surendra Bhandari and Pushkar Bhainsoda, remained trapped inside the vehicle and were declared dead at the scene.

The force of the fall left the car completely shattered after tumbling from a significant height into the riverbed.

The bodies of the deceased have been sent for the post-mortem, and their families have been informed.

Police are conducting further investigations. Further details are awaited.

–IANS

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