The Uttarakhand State disaster response force on Monday recovered the bodies of seven people who were killed after rocks and boulders fell on the vehicle they were travelling in on the Kailash-Mansarovar route in Pithoragarh district. The accident took place following a landslide.
According to the district administration, the victims were travelling from Gunji to Dharchula when the landslide occurred, around 2 p.m. on Sunday. The car was trapped under a mound of rubble dislodged from adjacent hills near Thakti area.
“The search and rescue operation started immediately but after sun-set, it had to stop. The operation started again with sun-rise and all bodies have been recovered,” Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Shiv Kumar Baranwal said.
The dead were identified as Kopila (13), Kashish (10), and Nitin (5), children of Biden Singh of Napalchu village. Tula Ram (62), his wife Asha Devi (56) of Bundi village and driver Kishan Singh Bhatt of Baluakot village were also among the dead.
One of the victims is yet to be identified.
The debris has been cleared from the route and the road is open for traffic.
