Nainital (Uttarakhand) [India], June 26 (ANI): Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Thursday criticised the state administration for failing to learn from previous incidents after a tragic bus accident in Rudraprayag left several dead and injured.

Speaking to ANI, Harish Rawat said, 'Such incidents happened last year too. It seems that our system is not learning from them. The state's prestige is linked to this yatra. We should consider that even a small mistake or policy error of the administration tarnishes the state's prestige.'

At least three people were killed and eight others injured when a bus carrying 20 passengers collided with another bus and plunged into the Alaknanda River near the Gholthir area of Rudraprayag district during early hours today, officials said.

Uttarakhand Secretary for Disaster Management, Vinod Kumar Suman, confirmed the incident and said rescue operations were ongoing.

'There were 20 passengers in the bus that swept away in the river in the Gholthir area of Rudraprayag district. We were able to save 8 people, 3 people died, the rest are being searched,' he told ANI.

He further added, 'Among the passengers were a driver from Haridwar, 7 people from Rajasthan, 3 people from Madhya Pradesh, 7 people from Gujarat and 2 people from Maharashtra.'

Rescue teams from SDRF, NDRF, and DDRF, along with the district administration, immediately rushed to the scene. Local residents also helped in the rescue operation. Some passengers jumped from the bus before it fell into the river and were rescued and taken to the district hospital. Critically injured victims were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh.

Meanwhile, due to continuous rainfall disrupting the Sonprayag-Munkatia route on the Kedarnath Yatra path, the Rudraprayag district administration safely evacuated 1,269 pilgrims--833 men and 436 women.

'Successful rescue of 1269 pilgrims on the Kedarnath route. Due to continuous rainfall disrupting the Sonprayag-Munkatia route, the Rudraprayag administration prioritised pilgrim safety and evacuated 833 male and 436 female devotees with the assistance of SDRF, NDRF, and DDRF. Efforts are ongoing to restore the route,' the Rudraprayag District Administration posted on X.

The bus involved in the accident was travelling from Rudraprayag to Badrinath when it lost control near a sharp turn and fell approximately 300 meters into the river.

Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the incident.

'The news of a tempo traveller falling into a river in Rudraprayag district is deeply tragic. Relief and rescue operations are being conducted on a war footing by SDRF and other rescue teams. I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter. I pray to God for everyone's safety,' CM Dhami said in a post on X.

The SDRF has also launched a search operation near the Srinagar Garhwal dam, about 40 kilometres from the crash site, as strong river currents may have carried the victims downstream. (ANI)