2 dead, 3 injured as jeep falls in gorge in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: In yet another road accident in Uttarakhand, two persons were killed and three others injured as a utility jeep carrying five persons fell in 250 metre deep gorge on the Kalsi-Chakrata road in the late night hours of Thursday. The condition of the three admitted to a nearby hospital is said to be stable.

The mishap was reported when a jeep carrying apple was on way from Tiuni to Dehradun. According to eye-witnesses, huge boulders fell on the road following heavy rains near Shahiya Jajred area. The driver identified s Ravi Kumar, backed the vehicle but lost control and the jeep fell in the gorge.

Kalsi police team along with the locals and fire department unit started the rescue act around the midnight hours and within two hours was successful in bringing out three persons alive. “However, two other passengers had died in the mishap,” said a police man involved in the operation.

The two deceased have been identified as Bhagi Ram (22) and Tara Dutt (40), both residents of Kharoda village in Tiuni area of Dehradun district. The three injured are driver Ravi Kumar (27) , Bhartu Ram (52) and Ganesh Chandra Dimri (26). All three injured were residents of Kharoda villave and along with Dutt, they were bringing apples, which were loaded in the utility vehicle to Dehradun.

As per police the cause behind the mishap is yet to be ascertained but going by what locals said it appeared that the driver could not back the vehicle properly due to the darkness.