Monday, August 2, 2010

27 pilgrims killed as truck falls into gorge in Uttarakhand

Uttarkashi: At least 27 Hindu pilgrims were killed in a road mishap on Sunday when a truck ferrying them fell into a gorge in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, reports said on Monday.

Most of the deceased was between the age group of 18 to 25 year.

A group of 29 youths from Gurgaon district of Haryana were travelling to Gangotri, a Himalayan glacier shrine, on an annual pilgrimage when the truck, they were travelling in, fell into a deep gorge of the Bhagirath river near Manesar (65 km from here) on the Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway, informed the district administration.

State police and paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police conducted search operations to recover the bodies from the gorge.

A magisterial probe has been ordered into the incident by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank.

Meantime, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda expressed 'deep shock' and 'grief' over the deaths and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the victims.


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