Almorah/Nainital, Nov 4: Thirty six passengers were killed and 24 others injured when a bus fell into a deep trench and overturned in Almorah district of Uttarakhand on Monday, police sources said here.

The sources said that most of the deceased were returning back to their destination after celebrating Diwali.

According to information the bus of Garwhal Motors Owners Limited carrying 60 passengers left from Gaulekhal in Pauri district, they said.

Police sources said that when the bus reached Marchula tehsil in Almorah district, the driver lost control over the vehicle in Sarad Band and it fell into a deep trench near Kupi and overturned.

“36 people were killed in the incident of which 28 died on the spot,” they said.

The sources said that on getting the information of the accident, three teams of SDRF along with Salt and Ranikhet police were dispatched to the spot. In the meantime, the villagers also reached the spot, they said.

Commissioner of Kumaon division Deepak Rawal, District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devendra Pincha reached the spot and a rescue and relief opertion was launched.

Police sources said that while 15 injured were sent to Ramnagar hospital, four were airlifted and sent to AIIMS Rishikesh and Sushila Tiwari hospital in Haldwani. “Eight injured persons succumbed to injuries during treatment at Ramnagar hospital,” they said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was maintaining a close vigil on the incident since morning, directed to immediately airlift the passengers, who sustained serious injuries, and shift them to AIIMS and other hospital. An air ambulance was provided for this and a team of doctors from AIIMS Rishikesh was sent to Ramnagar hospital for the treating the injured.

The CM also issued an order to suspend Assistant Regional Transport Officers (Enforcement) of Pauri on charges of laxity in execution of duty. He also directed Divisional Commissioner Kumaon Deepak Kumar to conduct an inquiry into the accident.

Dhami has announced a financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each to the injured.

The deceased were identified as Dinesh, Charu Devi, Manoj Rawat, Deepu, Gopi, Aditya Ram, Soni, Dilbar Singh, Praveen Negi, Manavi Dhyani, Praveen Dutt, Neeraj Dhyani, Dhanpal, Aditya Rawat, Shaka Devi, Darshan Lal, Ravi Bharadwaj, Meenakshi, Saloni, Ravindra Singh, Rashmi Rawat, Dayawanti Panthri, Shubham, Banwari Lal, Neeraj Dhyani, Vishal and two unidentified persons.

Those, who died at Ramnagar hospital included Praveen Rawat, Vinayak Digauli, Praveen Negi, Ayush Mandolia, Praveen Singh, Rakesh Dhyani, Suman Negi and Campa.

UNI