Tragic Teesta Gorge Crash: Two Sikkim Youths Killed, Two Critically Injured on NH-10
Two Sikkim youths killed, two critically injured after their car plunged into Teesta gorge on NH-10 near Kalimpong.
Two Sikkim youths lost their lives and two others were critically injured early Friday when their car plunged into a gorge of the Teesta River along National Highway-10 near the 29th Mile stretch in Kalimpong. The accident occurred while the group was returning to Gangtok from Siliguri after attending a relative’s wedding.
The deceased were identified as Aniket Prasad Gupta (28) and Aman Gupta (24), both residents of Sikkim. The injured, Kunal Gupta and Pawan Kumar Prasad, were rescued by police and fire brigade personnel and rushed to a nearby hospital, where they remain in critical condition.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the mishap may have been caused by the driver allegedly falling asleep at the wheel. Low water levels in the Teesta meant the vehicle fell into a deep ditch, sustaining severe damage. The bodies of Aniket and Aman were recovered at the site and sent to Kalimpong District Hospital for post-mortem examination.
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Kalimpong Superintendent of Police Aparajita Rai said the exact circumstances leading to the crash were still under investigation. Authorities have registered a case and are coordinating efforts to retrieve the mangled vehicle from the gorge.
Local residents and drivers have pointed to inadequate road safety measures along the stretch, highlighting the absence of guardrails and proper lighting as a recurring risk. “There is no guardrail on the side of the road. If there had been one, this accident might not have happened,” said local driver Prakash Prasad.
Family members of the victims expressed shock and grief over the tragedy. Niranjan Gupta, a relative, said he was unaware of the exact departure time from the wedding, adding, “The car fell into a ditch while going back, and we could not stop it in time.” Investigations are ongoing to determine all contributing factors.
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