Five people, including four members of the same family, were killed and another person was critically injured after a car veered off the road and plunged into a nearly 100-foot-deep gorge in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The accident occurred around 2 PM on the Bhawali-Sanatorium motor road when the vehicle reportedly went out of control before falling into the gorge.
The impact of the crash triggered panic in the area as local residents rushed to the spot and joined rescue efforts before police and administrative teams arrived.
Rescue personnel descended into the gorge under difficult conditions to pull out the victims from the mangled vehicle.
According to preliminary information, six people were travelling in the car. Five of them died on the spot, while one survivor sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
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Four Members Of Same Family Among Dead
Nainital Circle Officer Ravikant Semwal said four of the deceased belonged to the same family from Khatima.
The victims were identified as Bhupendra Singh Chaupal (48), his wife Seema Kheda Chaupal (45), their 19-year-old son Vasu Chaupal, and their 12-year-old daughter.
The driver of the vehicle also died in the accident. Officials said the driver’s identity had not yet been formally established, though preliminary information suggested he was a resident of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
The bodies of the deceased were recovered from the gorge and sent for post-mortem examination.
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Probe Underway Into Cause Of Crash
Police said an investigation had been initiated to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Officials suspect that overspeeding or the driver losing control of the vehicle may have led to the crash, although the precise circumstances would become clear only after completion of the inquiry.
The incident has sparked grief in the victims’ native village and among relatives, particularly due to the death of multiple members of the same family.
Local residents also urged authorities to strengthen safety measures on the Bhawali-Sanatorium route, which they described as accident-prone.
The administration has appealed to motorists to exercise caution while travelling on hilly roads, maintain controlled speed and strictly follow road safety norms to prevent similar tragedies.
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