14 dead in bus mishap, magisterial inquiry ordered

Tehri Garhwal, (Uttarakhand) [India], July 19 (ANI): A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the death of 14 people and 18 injured when a Uttarakhand Transport Corporation bus skidded off the Rishikesh Gangotri Highway on Thursday morning.

The Uttarakhand government has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

Speaking to ANI, IG (SDRF) Sanjay Gunjyal informed that 14 were dead and 18 injured in the incident Of the 18 injured, six were critical and admitted to AIIMS Rishikesh. Local police and SDRF teams are present at the spot. All the injured have been rescued, and operation to recover more bodies from the accident site is underway.

The bus fell into 250 meters deep gorge near Suryadhar in Tehri district.

The Trivendra Singh Rawat-led state government has directed helicopters be made available to bring the injured to AIIMS.

--ANI