20 Killed as Bus Plunges into 200m Gorge in Uttarakhand

At least 20 people lost their lives after a Garwal Motors Users' bus plunged into a 200-meter deep gorge near Kupi in Uttarakhand's Ramnagar on Monday. The incident occurred at Marchula while the 45-seater bus was en route from Garhwal to Kumaon. Rescue operations are currently underway, with authorities working to transport the injured to nearby hospitals.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his sorrow over the incident. “Very sad news has been received about the casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. The district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations swiftly. The local administration and SDRF teams at the accident site are working rapidly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health center for treatment. Instructions have also been given to airlift seriously injured passengers if required,” posted Dhami on “X”.

The death toll has risen to 20, according to district officials. Teams from the police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are actively involved in the rescue efforts at the accident site. In response to the tragedy, the Chief Minister has ordered the suspension of RTO officials in the area. Additionally, he announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives, and ₹1 lakh for the injured. A magisterial inquiry into the incident has also been initiated.​