In a devastating incident early this morning, a tempo traveller ferrying pilgrims on the Chardham Yatra route met with a severe accident in the Gholtir area of Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand. The vehicle, carrying around 20 passengers from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, was en route from Kedarnath to Badrinath when a high-speed truck rammed into it from behind, causing it to lose control and fall into the Alaknanda River.
Sumit Kumar, the driver of the tempo traveller and a survivor of the accident, has for the first time spoken out about the cause. He revealed that the vehicle was moving at a slow speed of about 10–20 km/h when a speeding truck hit them from behind with such force that the tempo veered off the road and plunged directly into the river’s strong currents.
Rescue operations by local administration, police, and SDRF teams were launched immediately after the incident. So far, three bodies have been recovered, eight passengers have been rushed to a nearby hospital with injuries, and between 9 to 11 people are still reported missing. Efforts are underway to locate the missing individuals, with divers and rescue teams working in challenging river conditions.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the incident and issued strict directives to ensure that no effort is spared in rescue and relief operations. He emphasized the urgency of finding the missing passengers and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
The accident has raised fresh concerns about road safety on the hilly Char Dham routes, which witness high traffic volumes during the pilgrimage season.
