Garhwal Post Bureau
Joshimath (Chamoli), 12 Jun: A tragic road accident occurred near Helang on the Rishikesh–Badrinath National Highway on Friday when a truck travelling from Rishikesh towards Badrinath suddenly went out of control and fell into a deep gorge, landing directly in the Alaknanda River. The driver, who was alone in the vehicle, died in the mishap.
On receiving the information, the police, SDRF and administrative teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations. Efforts were made to reach the wreckage of the truck and retrieve it from the strong current of the Alaknanda. Joshimath (now known as Jyotirmath) police station in‑charge Devendra Rawat confirmed that the truck had lost control near Helang and plunged into the river, leading to the death of the driver. The police have taken the body into custody and initiated legal formalities.
Ironically, this is just one of the very frequent accidents on the Badrinath National Highway. Only a day earlier, a bus carrying pilgrims from Jharkhand narrowly escaped disaster when its brakes failed while returning from Badrinath. The driver managed to avert a major tragedy by steering the bus into a hillside. On 7 June, a similar accident occurred on the Rishikesh–Srinagar National Highway near Totaghati in Tehri, where a bus carrying 39 Char Dham pilgrims overturned after its brakes failed, leaving four passengers with minor injuries. The Char Dham Yatra season has seen a sharp rise in traffic pressure on the hill routes and the lack of caution on these treacherous roads has led to repeated accidents.
