3 Badrinath pilgrims killed, 9 missing as bus plunges into Alaknanda river
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Dehradun: Three people died, eight were injured and nine remain missing after a 31-seater bus carrying 19 pilgrims and the driver fell into the Alaknanda river near Gholtir in Rudraprayag district around 7.30am on Thursday.
The vehicle, part of the ongoing Char Dham yatra, was heading to Badrinath from Rudraprayag when it reportedly collided with a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction near a sharp bend, lost control and plunged nearly 300 metres into the river. The steep terrain and strong river currents hampered rescue efforts.
The bus was carrying pilgrims from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra — all members of an extended family.
The bodies of Vishal Soni, 42, and Gauri Soni, 41, from Madhya Pradesh, and Drimmy, 17, from Gujarat were sent for autopsy.
Satyendra Singh Bhandari, a member of the Red Cross Society rescue team and resident of the area, said, "The bus tumbled down the slope with a loud crash. Villagers nearby immediately rushed to the scene and began helping with rescue efforts."
The injured, including four women and two children, were initially rushed to the district hospital.
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Four — Deepika Soni, Hemlata Soni, Ishwar Soni and the driver, Sumit Kumar — were later airlifted to AIIMS-Rishikesh. Sumit, 23, a resident of Kankhal in Haridwar, said, "I was driving at a speed of hardly around 10–20 kmph. We were going comfortably listening to bhajans when a truck hit the bus hard and it plunged into the gorge.
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The rescue operation, coordinated by SDRF, DDRF, local police, NDRF, fire services and the Indian Army, faced extreme difficulty due to the narrow curves, fast-moving river and deep gorge.
Some passengers were reportedly thrown from the bus during the fall, which aided their survival and facilitated immediate rescue.
The nine missing passengers included Lalit Kumar Soni, 48, Sanjay Soni, 55, and Sushila Soni, 77, from Rajasthan; Mauli Soni, 19, Cheshta, 12, Mayuri, 24, and Chetna Soni, 52, from Gujarat; Ravi Bhavasar, 28, from Madhya Pradesh; and Kamlesh Jethwa, 35, from Maharashtra. The injured included Amita Soni, 49, and Katta Ranjana Ashok, 54, from Maharashtra; Soni Bhavna Ishwar, 43, and Bhavya Soni, 7, from Gujarat; and Parth Soni, 10, from Madhya Pradesh.
SP Rudraprayag Akshay Khonde confirmed that all passengers were part of the same extended family. "Divers have been deployed, and a massive search operation is underway along the river. The terrain and high water level are posing major challenges," he said.
The crash occurred in a known danger zone of the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway, where repeated monsoon-triggered landslides and blind curves increase accident risks. In June last year, 14 people died in a similar crash when a tempo fell into the river at Raitoli. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the crash, and a review of emergency response protocols along the route is underway.
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