Devprayag, June 2 (IANS) A major road accident was reported in Uttarakhand’s Devprayag region on Tuesday after a vehicle carrying eight people plunged nearly 200 metres into a deep gorge near Ganga Hotel Darshan. The incident triggered panic in the area and prompted an immediate response from rescue agencies.

As soon as information about the accident was received, teams from the police, the Revenue Department, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot and launched an intensive search and rescue operation.

According to preliminary reports, the vehicle, bearing registration number UK 08 TA 5433, was travelling towards Haridwar when it lost control and fell into the gorge. All the occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, are reported to be residents of Rajasthan.

Officials said one injured person was rescued from the accident site and shifted to Srinagar in a departmental ambulance for medical treatment. Rescue personnel are continuing efforts to locate and evacuate the remaining occupants.

Authorities confirmed that the bodies of three victims have been recovered and are being transported to the roadside with the help of rafting teams due to the difficult terrain and the depth of the gorge. The rescue operation remains challenging as the vehicle fell into an extremely inaccessible area.

SDRF teams from Srinagar, Vyasi, and Dhalwala were deployed immediately after the incident was reported. A six-member SDRF team from the Vyasi unit was the first to reach the site and began rescue operations without delay.

Personnel from the Devprayag Police Station and local revenue officials, including the area Patwari, are also present at the accident site and assisting in the operation.

Officials said that a detailed assessment of the accident is still underway, and complete information regarding the condition of all passengers is awaited. Rescue teams are working on a war footing to trace any missing occupants and recover the vehicle.

The administration has assured that all necessary resources have been deployed to expedite the rescue mission. Further details are expected once the operation is completed.

The incident comes just days after another tragic road accident in Uttarakhand.

On May 30, three people lost their lives, and five others sustained injuries when a car skidded off the Pali Link Road in Rudraprayag district and plunged into a deep gorge. SDRF teams had carried out a difficult rescue operation to evacuate the injured and recover the bodies of the deceased.

–IANS

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