A devastating road accident in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district has claimed the lives of eight people, with five others sustaining injuries. The incident occurred on Tuesday when a passenger-laden jeep veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge.

The vehicle was en route from Munsiyari to Bokta village when the tragedy struck near Bhandari village bridge. According to initial reports, the driver lost control of the jeep, causing it to plunge into the gorge. The impact of the fall was severe, and the vehicle reportedly fell into a river. The accident occurred approximately 25 steps short of the vehicle's final destination.

Upon receiving news of the accident, police, revenue officials, and disaster management teams immediately launched a rescue operation. Local residents also joined in the efforts to retrieve the injured and recover the deceased from the gorge. The injured were rushed to a hospital in Muwani for treatment. Some of the more seriously injured were referred to a district hospital for advanced care.

Pithoragarh Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav confirmed the death toll and stated that procedures were underway to gather complete information about the incident. According to Yadav, the police were informed about the accident around 5:30 PM on Tuesday.

Among the deceased were five women and three men. District Disaster Management Officer Bhupendra Singh Maher confirmed that all the victims were local residents. According to one report, three schoolchildren were among the dead.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in the accident.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the vehicle went out of control before falling into the gorge. The accident's severity was compounded as the vehicle landed in a rain drain with flowing water, hindering the occupants' ability to escape. Preliminary investigations point towards the poor condition of the road and speeding as potential contributing factors to the accident. Locals have also highlighted the absence of guard rails or safety walls along the route, increasing the risk of such accidents.

In response to the tragedy, authorities have appealed to the public to exercise caution while driving on hilly roads, especially during adverse weather conditions. They have also assured that all possible assistance will be provided to the families of the deceased.

This unfortunate incident adds to a series of road accidents in Uttarakhand. On June 26, 2025, multiple accidents claimed seven lives and left nine missing. In one of those accidents, a bus fell into a river in Rudraprayag district, resulting in three deaths and several injuries. Another accident on the same day involved a car falling into a deep ditch in the Chakrata area of Dehradun district, causing three fatalities. On May 26, 2025, four senior citizens died after their car plunged into a gorge in the Tehri Garhwal district. These incidents highlight the persistent challenges in ensuring road safety in the hilly terrain of Uttarakhand.