In a tragic accident in Tehri district, a Scorpio vehicle carrying wedding guests veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge, resulting in the deaths of three young men and injuries to two others. The incident occurred late on Wednesday night on the Gular-Motor route near the Kuldiya village area.
Our correspondent reports that the vehicle was en route from Rishikesh to Nai village in the Narendra Nagar block when the driver lost control some 18 km before Gular. According to police at the scene, the Scorpio plunged into a roughly 300-metre-deep ravine at approximately 8 p.m. local time.
The deceased have been identified as Vimal Kandiya (31), Rahul Kaluda (23) and Ashish Kaluda (26). The two injured passengers, Tanuj Pundir (26) and Nikhil Ramola (21), were airlifted to a hospital in Rishikesh where their condition is reported to be critical.
Our correspondent adds that the rescue operation was conducted by local police and a team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), who reached the scene after receiving a GPS location from the driver’s call to a friend. Emergency crews said hazardous terrain and low visibility at night complicated the efforts to reach the crash site.
Local officials believe the likely causes include excessive speed, fatigue, and lack of proper lighting or guard-rail safety on the winding stretch. The incident raises fresh concerns over road conditions and traveler safety on hillside-roads that remain narrow and vulnerable to mishaps.
Our correspondent reports that the district administration has ordered a safety audit of the Gular-Motor road section and has called for urgent installation of crash barriers, widened road shoulders and improved signage in high-risk zones. The vehicle’s owner provided statements indicating the Scorpio was carrying a dozen guests from a wedding party, and the bride’s family has since arrived at the hospital to meet the survivors.
Residents of the region expressed grief and called for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, especially during night-travel on mountain roads. They recalled a prior fire incident at the historic Old London House in Nainital that had also drawn attention to emergency access and infrastructure weaknesses in hill towns.
The state police are investigating the incident and have registered a case of accidental death. They have appealed to drivers heading into remote zones to ensure seat-belt use, avoid over-taking on sharp bends, and keep their speed within safe limits.
As the investigation continues, the accident has brought to fore the high risk faced by wedding-parties and tourist groups moving on narrow high-altitude tracks and underscores the need for enhanced road safety measures across Uttarakhand’s mountainous terrain.
