5 pilgrims killed after speeding car plunges into 100-foot ravine in Nainital

Five pilgrims were killed and one sustained serious injuries after the car they were in lost control and plunged into a 100-foot-deep ravine in Uttarakhand's Nainital district on Thursday.

The incident happened around 2 pm on the Bhawali-Sanatorium motorway in Nainital. The car reportedly was speeding before losing control and nosediving into the ravine. Visuals showed the red vehicle completely mangled as the rescue team attempted to pull it out of the accident spot.

Police said that preliminary investigation suggested that all the six occupants of the car were residents of Nainital. The victims are from the same family, including Bhupendra Singh Chufal (48), his wife Seema Kaida Chufal (45), their 19-year-old son Vasu Chufal, and 12-year-old daughter. The fifth victim was a 34-year-old driver, Anuj Kumar Mishra, from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

Upon receiving the information of the incident, police, local administration, the SDRF, and nearby villagers arrived at the scene. Owing to the depth of the ditch, the rescue operation faced significant difficulties. After considerable effort, rescue teams pulled the bodies and the injured from the ravine.

The sixth occupant of the car was found to be seriously injured and was immediately taken to a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. Police are currently investigating the cause of the accident.

- Ends

(With inputs from Lila Singh Bisht)