At least 25 people died after a bus carrying wedding guests fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand last night. Some 20 passengers were rescued in an all-night operation at the spot of the accident in the Pauri Garhwal area.
The bus, with around 45 on board, was travelling along a mountain highway in Uttarakhand when it went over the edge and fell at least 500 metres.
"25 people were found dead in the Pauri Garhwal bus accident that took place last night in the Birokhal area of Dhumakot. Police and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) rescued 21 people overnight; the injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals," state police chief Ashok Kumar told news agency ANI.
The police tweeted visuals from the overnight operation, in which rescue teams can be seen taking injured passengers to safety.
President Droupadi Murmu tweeted that she was pained by the deaths in the accident and hoped for swift recovery of those injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office called the accident "heart-rending" and promised all help. "The bus accident in Pauri, Uttarakhand 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," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted, quoting PM Modi.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences and said the state government stands with their families.
Haridwar police chief Swantantra Kumar Singh said the wedding party had left from Laldhang in the district, about 122 km from the site of the accident in Pauri Garhwal.
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