33yo dies after being hit by boulder; 6th such death in 3 days
The victim, Ramesh Chandra, was struck on the head by the falling rock. Despite wearing a helmet, he was knocked unconscious and rushed to hospital, where he died of head injuries. This was the sixth such fatality in Nainital within 72 hours.
The tragedy adds to a series of similar incidents across Uttarakhand. On Tuesday, a man in Chamoli's Dumak village died after being hit by a boulder on his way home. Two others were killed in Uttarkashi and a 12-year-old boy in Pithoragarh died after rocks crashed onto his house.
On Aug 18, Champa Devi, the elected sarpanch of Pokhari gram panchayat in Okhalkanda block, Nainital, was killed when a boulder dislodged by a landslide struck her while she was collecting fodder in a forest near Talli Pokhari Chaksedla village. Villagers took her to hospital, but she died en route. The Okhalkanda SDM said, "The cause appeared to be a natural calamity, pending postmortem confirmation."
A day later, another incident laid bare the grim reality of life in the state's inaccessible regions.
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In Bhimtal's Kasaila Tok in Maluwatal, villagers carried an ailing elderly woman, Ganga Devi, in a palanquin across a swollen Gaula River. With no road connectivity or nearby medical facilities, they trekked several kilometres through treacherous terrain.
According to residents, such journeys are routine during emergencies, from childbirth to injuries, and have long demanded the construction of the Bhatelia-Amdo-Duduli motor road and a bridge from Amdo to Tyona.
"We risk lives every time someone falls ill. Many deaths are not just due to natural disasters, but because help arrives too late," a villager said.
Congress leader Manoj Sharma added, "Despite fertile land, farmers cannot transport produce to markets, students lack access to higher education and youth are migrating. Villagers accused the BJP-led state govt of failing to complete the proposed road over the last decade."
Local MLA Ram Singh Kaira said he has submitted a proposal for a bridge to the administration.
Meanwhile, healthcare services in the district remain crippled. Patients said that critical equipment, including the CT scan machine, has been non-functional for over two months. X-ray facilities often break down, forcing staff to rely on manual procedures. Infrastructure issues compound the crisis. Deep potholes along major routes, including the Nainital-Bhowali and Nainital-Haldwani roads, pose serious risks to two-wheeler riders, especially during the monsoon.
Chief development officer Nainital, Anamika (uses first name only), said she has directed the immediate removal of debris and soil from roadsides to reduce congestion and accidents.
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