PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Pithoragarh
Two people-a tourist and the driver- died on the spot, while four others sustained serious injuries on Friday when a massive boulder suddenly broke loose from a mountain slope and crashed on a vehicle carrying tourists returning from the Panchachuli Base Camp near the Pampa area, about 42 kms from Dharchula in Pithoragarh district. Sharing details, police said that nine members of a family from Kota district of Rajasthan, had been to Uttarakhand on a family trip. After visiting Adi Kailash and Om Parvat, the family explored the Darma Valley and the Panchachuli Base Camp region. While returning on Friday afternoon, some family members were traveling in the ill-fated vehicle and others were sitting in another vehicle.
The accident claimed the lives of Surendra Garbyal (50), from Dharchula, who was behind the wheels, and Keshav Khandelwal (15) from Ramganj Mandi, Rajasthan. Four other passengers seated in the rear of the vehicle suffered serious injuries.
Upon receiving the information about the incident, police, administrative officials and rescue teams rushed to the spot. The injured were immediately shifted to the sub-district hospital in Dharchula.
