Uttarakhand bus accident: Kharge, Rahul express grief at loss of lives

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday expressed grief at the loss of lives in a road accident in Uttarakhand’s Almora and urged the local authorities to provide immediate compensation to the victims’ families and support to the injured.

Kharge and Gandhi, the opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, respectively, also urged local Congress workers to provide all possible help to the families of those affected.

A private bus fell into a deep gorge in Almora district on Monday, killing at least 36 people and injuring 24.

Around 60 people were aboard the 43-seater bus when it plunged into the 200-metre gorge and landed close to a rivulet in the Marchula area, officials said.

Former Congress chief Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, “The news of the deaths of many people in a horrific road accident in Almora, Uttarakhand, is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.” “The administration is expected to extend full support to all the affected families. Congress workers are requested to provide all possible support in the relief and rescue work,” he added.

Kharge also said the news of the accident was extremely painful.

“My deepest condolences to the affected families. I appeal to the government and administration to provide immediate compensation to the victims and make full aid for proper treatment of the injured,” he said on X.

“In this hour of grief, the Congress party stands with the affected families. Congress party workers should provide all possible help and service,” he said in Hindi.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of those killed in the accident and financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh for the injured.