4 Dead, 24 Injured as Bus Falls Into Ditch in Bhimtal; Rescue Ops Underway

Uttarakhand: At least four people were dead and several were injured on Wednesday when a Roadways bus plunged into a 100-meter-deep ditch in the Bhimtal area of Uttarakhand's Nainital, officials said.

The bus, operated by Roadways, was traveling from Bhimtal to Haldwani with 20 to 25 passengers on board.

On December 25, 2024, a roadways bus met with an accident near Bhimtal, as reported by the District Control Room in Nainital. 

Following the alert, rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were sent from their Nainital and Khairna posts to the accident site. 

"As soon as we received the information, the SDRF teams were sent to the location. The rescue operation is currently in progress to help those involved in the incident", said SSP Nainital, Prahlad Meena.

SP Nainital, Dr Jagdish Chandra said, "A roadways bus was heading from Pithoragarh to Haldwani. The driver lost control of the bus and it fell into a deep gorge...The injured have been rescued with the help of locals. 21 people have been injured and 4 people have died."

Uttarakhand CM On Bhimtal Bus Accident

On the Bhimtal bus accident, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "The news of the bus accident near Bhimtal is unfortunate. The local administration has been directed to carry out immediate relief and rescue operations."

Uttarakhand Govt. Announces Rs 10 Lakh Compensation for Deceased, Rs 3 Lakh for Seriously Injured

Uttarakhand government also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of deceased, Rs 3 lakh for the families of seriously injured and Rs 15-25 thousand for the families of normally injured persons.