GANGTOK,: Five persons lost their lives in a horrific car accident near Gerethang,
Yuksam-Tashiding constituency of West Sikkim. The mishap took place at
Tinziring, located about one km ahead of Gerethang towards Tashiding.
The
private Alto vehicle, apparently headed towards Nessa from Gerethang, went off
the road at a turning and crashed some 500 ft down. All the five occupants were
killed.
It is not
sure why or when the mishap took place but the villagers came to know about the
tragedy only on Friday morning at around 8:30 am. The mangled remains of the
car were found in a stream below the road.
The
deceased persons were mostly from Nessa Tashiding. They were identified as
Abikesar Dahal (51), Abirman Dahal (42), Chandra Bahadur Mangar (40), Karna
Bahadur Gurung (38), and Jiwan Karki (38).
Chief
Minister PS Golay has expressed his deep sadness on the tragic accident. I
extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray to the
Almighty for the departed souls to rest in eternal peace, he said.
Area
MLA-cum-minister TT Bhutia along with Gyalshing DC Tenzing D Denzongpa, SP
Tshering Sherpa and officials visited the accident spot. All the five bodies
were recovered and sent for post mortem at Gyalshing district hospital.
In
response to the car accident, the DC clarified that no ex-gratia payment will
be provided as the incident does not qualify as a natural calamity. The matter
falls under the provisions of the Indian Motor Vehicle Rules and will be
addressed accordingly through required legal process.
