Noida couple pulled out of 50‑metre gorge in Nainital – two killed in separate crash

It was a crisp morning on the Bhowali‑Ramgarh stretch when the Duggal couple from Noida suddenly lost control of their car. The vehicle skidded at the sharp Kulati Bend, careened off the tarmac and vanished into a deep ravine – roughly 50 metres down.

When the Nainital District Disaster Control Room got the distress call, Sub‑Inspector Manish Bhakuni and his SDRF squad rushed to the scene, hauling ropes, stretchers and a whole lot of determination. Reaching the bottom was no joke; the gorge was steep, the terrain unforgiving. Yet the team managed to lower themselves, locate the crumpled car and pull out Kharesh Duggal and his wife Ritu, both sporting only minor cuts and bruises.

First‑aid was given on the spot, and the pair were whisked to Bhowali Hospital for a quick check‑up. Their gratitude was evident – a shaky smile, a heartfelt "thank you" that lingered in the chilly mountain air.

Sadly, the day’s drama didn’t end there. Just a few hours earlier, over in Rudraprayag’s Tarsali‑Phata road, a truck barreled off the edge of a cliff, plunging nearly 100 metres into another gorge. A joint rescue effort – SDRF, NDRF, police and fire crews – descended the abyss using rope‑techniques, but the two occupants were already beyond help when they were brought up on a hard‑board stretcher.

The contrast between the two incidents was stark: one family survived with barely a scratch, while another lost two lives in the same rugged state. Both episodes underscore how quickly the mountains can turn beautiful roads into perilous traps, and why rapid‑response teams like the SDRF are such a vital lifeline.

Authorities are urging drivers to exercise extra caution on Uttarakhand’s winding mountain roads, especially during monsoon‑laden months when slick surfaces are common. As for the Duggals, they’re expected to make a full recovery and, hopefully, think twice before taking sharp bends at breakneck speed.