The incident occurred on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway close to Raitoli in Rudraprayag district.

New Delhi: A tempo traveller, carrying 23 passengers, plunged into a gorge in Uttarakhand, claiming the lives of at least 14 individuals, officials reported. The tragic incident occurred on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway near Raitoli in Rudraprayag district.

The minibus fell into the Alaknanda River, prompting immediate rescue operations by teams from the State Disaster Response Force and local police. Sources mentioned that bystanders also sustained injuries in the accident.

Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami instructed the district magistrate to investigate. “I pray for the souls of the departed to find peace and offer strength to their grieving families. May the injured recover swiftly,” he tweeted in Hindi.

Injured individuals are being airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for medical treatment, officials confirmed.