By IANS
Udaipur : At least 85 people have lost their lives and around 60 injured when the truck they were travelling in fell into a gorge in the worst accident in Rajasthan’s history, police said Saturday.
“The accident occurred at around 8 p.m. Friday when the truck carrying about 150 people fell into a 30-foot-deep gorge in Desuri area,” Rajeev Dasot, inspector general of police (Udaipur range), told IANS. Desuri is about 150 km from Udaipur in southern Rajasthan.
The pilgrims were on their way to the holy town of Ramdevara in Jaisalmer district, named after the saint Baba Ramadevara. An annual fair is held there in August-September, attended by thousands of devotees who travel from all over Rajasthan and beyond for the purpose.
“It seems the driver lost control of the vehicle and smashed through a wall on the hill road,” Dasot said. “We have launched a probe into the accident.”
Cranes were put into service for the rescue operations that lasted over four hours on the mountain road on the Aravali ranges. Retrieving bodies and rescuing the survivors proved difficult at night.
The injured were taken to nearby hospitals. There were many cases of fracture and some victims may have to undergo amputation, doctors said.
“We finished our rescue and search operations by 1 a.m. Saturday and were able to save at least 50 lives,” Dasot said.
“It was a devastating scene in the darkness with people shouting in pain from the gorge while others sought help,” said Jogra Ram, a witness.
Police and medical teams had a tough time pulling out the injured and the dead as some of the bodies were dismembered and only limbs were visible, he added.
A woman in her 30s was taken out from the gorge, bleeding profusely, but she kept asking for her daughter, tears in her eyes.
A probe has been ordered on how 150 people were allowed to travel in one truck, state government officials said in Jaipur.
The government has meanwhile announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs.50,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased.