Daijiworld Media Network - Nainital

Nainital, Nov 23: A devastating accident on the Almora–Haldwani highway claimed the lives of three teachers, including the Haldwani Block President of the Government Teachers’ Union, after their car veered off the road and plunged nearly 60 metres into the Shipra River in the Ratighat region, officials reported on Sunday.

A fourth teacher survived the crash with critical injuries. He received initial treatment at the CHC in Khairna before being transferred to Haldwani for advanced medical care, authorities confirmed.

Police stated that the four educators — among them 50-year-old Sanjay Singh Bisht and Manoj Kumar, the union’s block president — were on their way to attend a wedding on Saturday evening when tragedy struck. Around 7 p.m., the vehicle lost control on a sharp stretch near Ratighat and toppled down the steep slope into the riverbed.

The crash was witnessed by a child, who promptly alerted local resident Tara Singh Bisht. Tara Singh, along with BJP Mandal President Neeraj Bisht, was among the first to reach the mangled vehicle. Emergency teams, including police units and SDRF personnel, soon arrived and worked with locals to extricate the victims.

Sanjay and Manoj were rescued from the wreckage and rushed to Garampani CHC. Sanjay succumbed to his injuries during treatment, while Manoj was referred to Haldwani in critical condition. The remaining two teachers — Surendra Bhandari and Pushkar Bhainsoda — were found trapped inside the vehicle and were declared dead at the spot.

The impact of the fall was so severe that the car was completely destroyed upon hitting the riverbed.

The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examinations, and their families have been notified. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, and further updates are awaited.