Almora bus accident: Death toll rises to 38 after two succumb to injuries

The death toll in the Almora bus accident rose to 38 after two people succumbed to their injuries during treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh.
The bus, carrying people returning to work after the Diwali break, was headed from Dhumakot in Pauri Garhwal district to Ramnagar in Nainital, roughly 72km away.
Almora district disaster management officer (DDMO) Vineet Pal said, “The death toll in the Almora bus accident has increased to 38. Two people who were receiving treatment at AIIMS Rishikesh succumbed to injuries on Monday. “
“Thirteen people were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for treatment, six people have been discharged, two people died, and others are still undergoing treatment,” he said.
Also Read: 36 killed as bus falls into gorge in Almora
He said a magisterial probe into the cause of the accident is underway.
The bus was headed to Ramnagar from Kainath village in Dhumakot around 6:30am.
The driver failed to negotiate a bend near Kupi, Almora around 8:45am and the bus barrelled through the barricading, rolled 150m off the steep hill and smashed into the bottom of the gorge, metres away from a stream.
It was the worst accident in the hill state since July 2018, when 48 people were killed in Pauri Garhwal.
Uttarakhand Police have also registered a case against the bus driver, conductor and owner for negligence and overcrowding.
Meanwhile, Pauri regional transport officer Dwarika Prasad said the bus had a valid fitness certificate and permit.
“These were registered with the transport department in 2009 and were valid till 2025”, he said.
Harsh Vardhan Rawat, secretary, Garhwal Motor Owner’s Union Limited, said that the private firm which owned the bus, said ‘kamani’ (bus rod spring) of the bus broke at the bend and the vehicle tilted on the one side and rolled down into the gorge.
“The overcrowding has no role in causing the accident,” he said.