Tragic Incident: Five Lives Lost and 20 Injured as Tourist Bus Plunges into River at Bengal-Sikkim Border
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Kolkata, Nov 30 (NationPress) In a devastating accident, at least five individuals have lost their lives and many others sustained injuries after a tourist bus lost control and plunged into the Teesta River near the West Bengal-Sikkim border at Rangpo, on the Sikkim side.
The bus was en route from Siliguri in West Bengal to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.
According to sources within the state police, the bodies of five tourists have been recovered so far, while several others have been rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
Authorities fear that the death toll may rise as the situation develops. The identities of the deceased are still being established.
Officials and members of the state disaster management team quickly arrived at the scene to initiate rescue operations.
Reports indicate that the bus departed from Siliguri toward Gangtok on Saturday afternoon. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the bus unexpectedly fell into the river after the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.
Two teams from the Kalimpong district police in West Bengal and the Sikkim Police promptly reached the location following reports of the accident. Kalimpong District Magistrate Balasubramanian T also arrived at the site.
He confirmed that approximately 20 individuals have been injured as a result of the incident. “They have been transported to a local hospital for treatment. We have also received reports of fatalities from the accident. Rescue efforts are ongoing,” he stated.
Kalimpong District Police Superintendent Shrijari Pandey has verified the occurrence of five deaths thus far. “Our primary focus is on efficient rescue operations. The injured are receiving treatment currently, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident,” he remarked.
Sources from the state disaster management department indicated that the remote hilly terrain where the accident took place is complicating rescue efforts.
