Five people died in a tragic accident near Long Khola on Tashiding-Yuksom road in Gyalshing district of West Sikkim on Friday. The victims were on their way to attend a wedding when their car skidded off the road and fell into a ditch. The deceased have been identified as Abhishek Dahal, Abhi Kishore Dahal, Chandra Bahadur Mangar, Karn Bahadur Gurung and Jeevan Karki, who were residents of Upper Arithang in Yuksom-Tashiding constituency.
According to the police, the accident occurred when the vehicle lost control after a tire skidded off the road. After this the car overturned from the hilly road and fell into a ditch about 500 feet deep. Despite rescue operations, none of the five passengers survived the crash.
Residents immediately informed the authorities and police officials reached the spot on Friday morning to begin rescue operations. The recovered vehicle had Sikkim registration number and was badly damaged. Preliminary investigation shows that the car was traveling from Geithang towards Upper Chongrang at the time of the accident.
Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang expressed grief over the incident and expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. Posting on social media, he wrote, “Deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took place near Lang Khola, Gerethang in Yuksom-Tashiding constituency, in which five people lost their lives. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families And pray to God for the peace of the departed souls.”
This is not the first fatal road accident in the region. Last month, a mother from Kolkata and her two-year-old daughter died in a similar incident in Pakyong district. Road safety concerns remain a significant risk to both locals and tourists in the hilly areas of Sikkim. Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the latest crash, and an investigation is ongoing into whether excessive speed or other factors contributed to the tragedy.
TRAGIC – HEARTBREAKING ЁЯШв
5 dead as vehicle falls from cliff in Sikkim pic.twitter.com/fToZnPgrN4тАФ I Love Siliguri (@ILoveSiliguri) January 17, 2025
