In the environs of Nainital, a calamitous mishap claimed the lives of eight individuals, predominantly comprising Nepalese migrant workers, as their vehicle careened into a ravine within the precincts of Betalghat, situated in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district, as per official police reports divulged on Tuesday.

The conveyance, ferrying nine Nepalese occupants, was en route to Ramnagar when an abrupt plunge ensued, hurtling down a precipitous 200-foot chasm in the Unchakot vicinity of the Betalghat developmental enclave, under the cloak of nightfall on Monday. Tragically, seven passengers along with the chauffeur met their demise instantaneously due to the impact, with two other Nepalese occupants sustaining grave injuries.

The occurrence transpired in a remote terrain, thereby exacerbating the exigency of the rescue endeavor. Both the State Disaster Response Team (SDRF) and law enforcement contingents were promptly mobilized upon receipt of the distress signal regarding the mishap. Subsequently, eight mortal remains were extricated from the abyss and dispatched for post-mortem analysis, whereas the two injured survivors were expeditiously transported to medical facilities for urgent treatment.

A senior police functionary lamented the formidable challenges posed by the rugged terrain and the shroud of darkness which encumbered the rescue mission. He attested that the retrieval of all cadavers necessitated a herculean exertion of effort.

The Nepalese laborers were engrossed in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, a developmental initiative currently underway in the hinterlands of Unchakot within the territorial confines of Mallagaon, nestled in the Betalghat domain of the district.

Law enforcement authorities elucidated that a contingent comprising nine laborers, along with the driver, had embarked on a journey bound for Ramnagar, from whence they intended to proceed to their native abodes in Nepal. “Preliminary investigations suggest that as the vehicle traversed the hamlet, the driver lost control, precipitating the vehicular plunge into a 200-foot abyss. Inquiries are ongoing, and the injured parties are presently undergoing medical intervention,” the official expounded.