SHRINAGAR (GARHWAL), May 31: Twelve Kedarnath pilgrims, were killed when a tourist bus fell into a deep ravine near Rampur Chatti on the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund road today. Seven of the dead were women.The Delhi-bound bus carrying twenty-seven people, mostly from the state of Tamil Nadu, was returning from Kedarnath when the driver lost control and the vehicle fell into a 150-feet-deep rocky gorge killing 12 passengers on the spot.
Police rescued the 15 injured who were rushed to hospitals in Phata and Augustmuni. Condition of three of them was reported to be serious. This is the third accident in Tehri-Garhwal since the beginning of the tourist season in early May this year.
On May 7, 29 people were killed and 16 seriously injured when a private tourist bus fell into Alaknanda river near Nandprayag in Chamoli district.
Three days later, on May 10, twenty-five pilgrims from the state of Madhya Pradesh were killed when a Kedarnath-bound bus carrying pilgrims fell into Mandakini river.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
