Nainital – Three pilgrims died and five others were injured after a Scorpio vehicle fell into a deep gorge near Niglat on the Bhowali–Almora National Highway, close to Kainchi Dham. The vehicle was carrying devotees from Pilibhit for darshan when the accident occurred.
Police said the Scorpio lost control near Niglat and plunged into the gorge. Local residents and police teams rushed to the spot and carried out a rescue operation. The injured were pulled out from the gorge and taken to the Community Health Centre in Bhowali for treatment.
Kotwal Prakash Singh Mehra said the injured included Rishi Patel (7), son of Rahul Patel; Swati (20), daughter of Bhup Ram; Akshay (20), son of Chandan Singh Patel; Jyoti (25), wife of Karan; Karan (25), son of Jitendra; Rahul Patel (35), son of Bhup Ram; Ganga Devi (56), wife of Bhup Ram; Brijesh Kumari (26), daughter of Rahul Patel; and Nancy Gangwar (24), daughter of Jaipal Singh. The victims are residents of the Pilibhit and Bareilly areas.
CHC doctor Ramesh Kumar said that Ganga Devi, Nancy Gangwar, and Brijesh Kumari died before reaching the hospital. The remaining five injured were referred to a higher medical centre in Haldwani due to the seriousness of their injuries.
The accident has again raised concerns over vehicle safety and road conditions on busy hill highways, especially on routes frequently used by pilgrims heading to religious sites like Kainchi Dham.
