ALMORA: A devastating tragedy unfolded in Almora when a bus plunged into a 200-meter deep gorge, claiming the lives of 36 people. In the aftermath, a heart-wrenching scene played out at Ramnagar Hospital in Nainital, where a three-year-old girl, Shivani, was brought in as the sole survivor. Unaware that her parents were among the dead, the little girl cried out for them, her voice echoing through the hospital halls.
Shivani’s mother, Charu (34), and father, Manoj Rawat (35), were among the victims of the tragic crash. Their bodies, along with those of many others, were recovered from the ravine after the bus plunged on Monday morning in Almora’s Marchula.
Narayan Singh Rawat, a local from Sult, Almora, described the scene at the crash site, his voice choked with emotion: “The entire region is in mourning. When I reached the site, it felt like a nightmare. The ravine was filled with bodies—young and old, men, women, and children—all taken so suddenly. It was unbearable to witness.” Villagers, in shock, began the grim task of rescuing survivors and recovering the bodies of the deceased.
At the hospital, Shivani’s cries filled the air as her grandfather, Darshan Singh (62), stood by her side, barely able to hold himself together in the face of the overwhelming grief of losing both his son and daughter-in-law. The medical staff and onlookers struggled to suppress their own tears as they watched the young girl endure unimaginable pain.
Doctors reported that Shivani suffered severe injuries, including stitches to her head, broken ribs, and internal bleeding in her lungs. Due to her critical condition, she was airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh, where specialists are working desperately to save her life.
The Rawat family had been living in Ramnagar, where they had spent the Diwali holidays with Shivani’s grandparents in Sirkhet, enjoying a rare and precious time of family togetherness. That warmth was tragically shattered when their return journey turned deadly.
Among the victims were five-year-old Aarav and his father, Deepak (37), who were also heading home to Ramnagar. Their quiet journey was cut short in a tragic twist of fate.
Sult Tehsildar Abid Ali confirmed that post-mortems for 28 of the victims were conducted at the crash site in Marchula, while the remaining eight were examined at the Ramnagar Government Hospital. Families have since received the bodies of their loved ones, and efforts are underway to provide financial support to both the families of the deceased and those injured in the crash.
