11 people, returning from a wedding, die in accident in Uttarakhand

At least eleven people, who were returning from a wedding, died in an accident in Uttarakhand. Two others were injured, police informed on Tuesday.

PM Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs.2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the accident. The injured are being given Rs.50,000.

The accident took place late night on Monday in Champawat district. The vehicle they were travelling in fell in a gorge near Sukhidhang Reetha Sahib road, Kumaon Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Nilesh Anand Bharne was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

"We have recovered 11 bodies so far at the accident site. As per our information so far there 14 to 15 people were on the vehicle. Rescue team is searching other persons," said Devendra Pincha, superintendent of police in Champawat district.

Visuals showed locals at the site along with cops amid the rescue operation.

In a similar incident in Odisha, four persons of a marriage party, including three women, were killed as their SUV hit a truck in Odisha's Kalahandi district and seven others were injured in the incident.

The accident took place near Turlakhaman on the national highway (NH217) under the jurisdiction of Kesinga police station. They group was returning to their house in Sisekela from Pipalpadar in Bolangir district after attending a wedding ceremony.