Garhwal Post Bureau
Mussoorie, 28 May: On Thursday morning, a water tanker driver lost his life in a tragic road accident here. On the Mussoorie-Dehradun road, a tanker filled with water suddenly went out of control and plunged into a gorge approximately 50 metres deep. The accident caused chaos in the area, and locals immediately alerted the police.
Mussoorie Kotwal Devendra Chauhan stated that, around 6 a.m., tanker number UA07-L-4065—which was traveling towards Mussoorie after filling up with water at Mussoorie Lake— went out of control and fell into the deep gorge. Upon receiving the information, the Mussoorie Kotwali police team arrived at the scene with disaster response equipment, and a relief and rescue operation was launched with the assistance of local citizens. After a strenuous effort, the police and locals successfully extracted the injured driver from the gorge and immediately transported him via a private vehicle to the Civil Hospital, Mussoorie, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The deceased has been identified as Akshay Aswal, son of Prem Singh Aswal, a resident of Gram Sabha Dudhai, Block Sahaspur, District Dehradun, aged approximately 25 years.
Dr Prashant of the Mussoorie Sub-District Hospital stated that the victim was brought to the hospital in a deceased state. He added that a thorough examination of the body was conducted, and it is likely that the death resulted from severe injuries sustained in the accident; the exact cause of death will be clearly established following the post-mortem examination. Mussoorie Kotwal Devendra Chauhan confirmed that the tanker was fully loaded with water at the time of the accident. The police have informed the deceased’s family members about the incident. According to the Mussoorie police, preliminary investigations suggest that the vehicle went out of control; however, the actual causes behind the accident are still under investigation. Necessary legal proceedings are being initiated by the police.
Locals state that the risk of accidents on the Mussoorie-Dehradun route remains constant due to sharp turns, narrow roads, and a lack of safety measures at several locations. Residents have urged the administration to strengthen safety arrangements along the route, install crash barriers, and increase the number of warning signs to prevent such accidents in the future.
