The mishap took place at around 8 AM on the Chheerakhan-Reethasahib motor road in Nainital when the vehicle was heading to Amjad village from nearby Patlot hamlet.
Nainital Accident Update: At least nine people, including three children, are confirmed dead after a pickup vehicle they were travelling in skidded off road and plunged into a deep gorge in Nainital district of Uttarakhand on early Friday morning.
According to officials, the mishap took place at around 8 AM on the Chheerakhan-Reethasahib motor road in Nainital when the vehicle was heading to Amjad village from nearby Patlot hamlet. The pick up plunged into a 500 metre gorge when the driver lost control while trying to avoid a motorcycle ride approaching from the opposite direction.
“The vehicle fell into the gorge while trying to save a motorcycle approaching from the opposite direction,” Senior Superintendent of Police (Nainital) Prahlad Narayan Meena told news agency PTI.
The senior officer said that while six people died on the spot, three others who had sustained grievous injuries in the accident, later succumbed at a hospital. A couple and their son were among those who died, Meena said.
Two people injured in the accident have been referred to a higher medical facility in Haldwani from a Community Health Centre in Okhalkanda, where they were admitted initially, the officer said.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condoled the loss of lives and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.
Meena said there were 11 passengers in the pick-up vehicle at the time of the accident.
The victims have been identified as Dhani Devi (38), Tulsi Prasad (38), Rama Devi (30), Tarun Paneru (5), Devidutt (51), Naresh Paneru (26), Rajendra Paneru (5), Shivraj Singh (25) and Narendra Singh.
Hem Chandra Paneru (46) and Yogesh Paneru (9) have been referred to Sushila Tiwari Hospital in Haldwani.
Bhuvan Rana, the Khansyu police station in-charge, said besides the couple and their son, two brothers were also among the victims of the accident.
Meanwhile, locals claimed that the accident was caused by the high number of passengers in the vehicle and the poor condition of the road.
Following the accident, a large number of villagers reached the motor road and vented their anger over its condition.
(With PTI inputs)