25 dead after bus carrying 28 pilgrims falls into gorge, PM Modi announces financial aid

A bus carrying 28 pilgrims fell down into the gorge on Sunday. At least 25 pilgrims have died and 3 people have been injured. Local administration & SDRF teams engaged in rescue work; NDRF team rushed to spot, reported ANI

Uttarakhand: A bus carrying 28 pilgrims fell down into the gorge on Sunday. According to the Uttarkashi administration, at least 25 pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh died and three were critically injured on Sunday evening when the bus they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge en route to the Yamunotri temple in the Uttarkashi district.

Meanwhile, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has reached the Disaster Control Room in Dehradun and directed the district administration to carry out relief and rescue work expeditiously along with proper treatment of the injured, CMO Uttarakhand said in a statement. 

"Officials concerned have been instructed to investigate the accident. May God grant the departed souls a place at his feet and strength to their family members to bear the pain. Also, I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured," Dhami said in a tweet in Hindi.

PM Modi announced financial aid

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the ex-gratia amounts of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured in a bus accident in Uttarakhand.

"The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the accident in Uttarakhand. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000 each," tweeted PMO.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan has also expressed anguish and paid condolences to those who lost their lives in the accident. Chouhan announced Rs 5 lakh each will be given to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured persons. "Medical treatment of the injured is our priority, he added.

Expressing condolence over the death of pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh in the bus accident, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he along with state minister Bijendra Pratap Singh, DGP Sudhir Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajesh Rajora and the entire team are leaving for Dehradun immediately in the night.
The MP Home Department has issued a list of 28 passengers from the Panna district who were travelling in the ill-fated bus.

"The death of pilgrims, from Panna district, after their bus fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand, is unfortunate. Our team is in constant touch with the Uttarakhand government. Arrangements being done for the treatment of injured & to bring back the dead bodies," Chouhan tweeted.