Garhwal Post Bureau
SRINAGAR (GARHWAL), 12 Jul: A tragic road accident on the Badrinath National Highway near Bagwan has claimed the lives of two Sikh pilgrims returning from Hemkund Sahib. The incident occurred when a truck bearing registration number UK 14 CA 0219, travelling from Rishikesh, collided with motorcycle number PB 23 AA 9869 carrying the pilgrims. The force of the impact trapped the motorcyclists beneath the truck, resulting in their instant deaths at the scene.
Chaos ensued immediately after the collision as passersby alerted the police and emergency services. The police reached the spot swiftly and took the truck driver, Ramkishore, a resident of Bidyani, Yamkeshwar (Pauri Garhwal), into custody. The bodies of the deceased were transported by ambulance to Base Hospital Srikot (Srinagar), while their relatives, who were present at the site, were consoled by officials. Both the truck and motorcycle have been impounded and transferred to the police station, and legal proceedings are now underway.
The deceased have been identified as Manpreet Singh, aged 28, son of Lakhveer Singh, and Gurdeep Singh, aged 22, son of Bindra Singh, both residents of Patiala district in Punjab. According to police statements, the two were on their way back to Punjab after visiting Hemkund Sahib when the accident took place. The severity of the crash resulted in one of the bodies being disfigured after colliding with a roadside crash barrier.
Authorities are continuing with investigations and have urged motorists to exercise caution on the hill roads, particularly in pilgrimage zones prone to high traffic and risk.
