Four pilgrims from Maharashtra were killed and seven others injured today when their vehicle fell into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand's Tehri district.
The Matador van met with the accident at Changora on Lambgaon-Kotalgaon-Chamiyala road in the district around 12.30 pm killing four persons on the spot and leaving six others injured, Tehri SSP N S Napalchyal said.
The vehicle was carrying Chardham pilgrims from Gangotri to Kedarnath when the mishap occurred, he said adding the bodies have been recovered and the injured including the driver hospitalised.
The deceased were identified as Chandra Kant Kalkar (61), his wife Kunda Kalkar (50), Meena Tai (48) and Sanjay Patio (57), the SSP said.
The injured include Poona Devi (50), Sudhakar Murari (55), Satish (57), Vasudev Raut (45) Archana (51), 15-year-old Arya and driver of the vehicle 25-year-old Shahnawaz.
Two of the injured said to be critical have been airlifted and brought to Jollygrant near Dehradun.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed grief at the loss of lives and announced a compensation of Rs one lakh to the next of kin of those killed besides Rs 75,000 for the seriously injured, 50,000 for the wounded and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries, an official release in Dehradun said.
Though it is being investigated what led to the accident, according to the driver of the vehicle who hails from Haridwar, the brakes of the vehicle failed causing the mishap.
All the victims belong to Amravati district in Maharashtra, the SSP said.
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