7 Killed, 11 Injured as Bus Plunges into Gorge in Almora

Almora, Dec 30: Seven people were killed and 11 others injured after a Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) bus plunged into a deep gorge in Bhikiyasen area of Almora district on Tuesday morning, police officials said.

The bus was en route to Ramnagar when it reportedly lost control near Bhikiyasen and fell into the gorge. Eighteen passengers were travelling in the mini bus at the time of the accident.

Teams from the district administration, police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot immediately after the incident. Rescue operations were launched, during which the bodies were retrieved and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devendra Pincha said, “Eighteen people were travelling in the KMVN mini bus when it lost control and fell into the gorge. The bodies have been recovered, and the injured have been sent to the hospital.”

Police said the exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained and investigations are underway.

Uttarakhand reports over 1,000 road accidents annually, with winding, narrow and treacherous mountain roads significantly increasing the risk, particularly during the monsoon and winter seasons when visibility remains poor.

In a bid to curb road accidents by 50 per cent by 2030, the Uttarakhand cabinet in February approved the Road Safety Policy, 2025. The policy aims to improve road user safety, enhance public awareness, develop safer infrastructure, enforce traffic regulations, strengthen emergency medical response and promote research by clearly defining the role of various stakeholder departments. (Agencies)