4 die as car carrying two Gujarati families plunges into gorge in Uttarakhand

Surat: Four people, including three members of two Gujarati families, were killed and a teenager injured after a car carrying seven occupants plunged into a gorge in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Thursday morning. Two women travelling in the vehicle went missing after it fell into the Bhagirathi river and are feared dead.

The deceased included two members of a family from Katargam in Surat — Ashok Patel (49) and his daughter Rutika (19). Patel’s relative Ghanshyam Saravaliya (32), a resident of Sayla in Surendranagar district, also died in the accident. The fourth deceased was the driver, Surendrasinh, a resident of Haridwar.

Patel’s wife Sudha (45) and another relative, Kiran Saravaliya (34), went missing after the vehicle plunged into the river.

Patel’s son Vedant (17), a Class XII student, sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh.

According to a report issued by the Uttarkashi District Emergency Operations Centre, the accident occurred around 7am near Gangani on the Gangotri National Highway in Bhatwari tehsil. The vehicle plunged nearly 20 metres below the road.