Heartbreaking accident in Champawat, wedding procession car fell into 200 feet deep ditch, 5 died

Road accidents often make headlines in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand. This time an incident took place in Lohaghat of Champawat district which shocked the entire area. The happiness of the wedding suddenly turned into mourning while returning, when a vehicle of the wedding procession fell into a deep ditch.

What happened that night?

The wedding procession that had come from Sheraghat in Pithoragarh district was returning after completing a marriage in Balatdi village of Champawat. After bidding farewell to the bride, everyone was happily going towards home. But at around 2 am in the night on the Lohaghat-Baghdhar National Highway, a Bolero train (No. UK-04 TB 2074) suddenly went out of control. The next moment she fell into the ditch 200 feet below.

In this accident, five people died on the spot, including a mother and her son. Five other passengers were seriously injured. Police and local people conducted rescue operations throughout the night. SDRF team and fire brigade personnel also reached the spot.

Drug addiction the cause of death?

Preliminary police investigation has revealed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Lohaghat police station incharge Ashok Kumar said, “Speed ​​and intoxication together proved fatal. The vehicle lost its balance on the winding road.”

Transport expert Dr. Manoj Sharma (Dehradun Traffic Research Centre) says, “More than 40% of road accidents in Uttarakhand occur due to drunkenness and overloading. In the mountains, even a small mistake can become fatal.”

Who were the dead and injured?

The dead include three men, a woman and a child. The injured were immediately taken to Lohaghat sub-district hospital, where the condition of two is still critical. By morning all the bodies were taken out from the ditch.

Why is danger increasing on mountain roads?

There has been a 25% increase in road accidents in Uttarakhand in the last five years (2024 report of the state transport department). Reason?

• narrow and winding roads
• bad light at night
• Overloaded vehicles (usually 10-12 people in one vehicle in the procession)
• drunk driving

What does this accident teach us?

Excitement on the occasion of marriage is fine, but never ignore security.

• keep the driver fully alert
• drive slowly on mountain roads at night
• Make seat belts and helmets mandatory
• Get permission for night travel from local administration

What will happen next?

Police have registered a case against the driver under section 304A of IPC (causing death by negligence). After post-mortem the bodies will be handed over to the relatives. The district administration has announced compensation – Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.