Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 26 (ANI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday expressed grief and offered condolences after a bus carrying 20 passengers lost control and fell into the Alaknanda river in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.

The passengers included a driver from Haridwar, seven people from Rajasthan, three from Madhya Pradesh, seven from Gujarat, and two from Maharashtra.

As many as 4 have been reported dead, eight were rescued and relief efforts are underway to find the other missing individuals.

Chief Minister Sharma prayed for peace to the departed souls, safe return of the missing citizens and speedy recovery of the injured.

According to an official release from the Chief Minister Public Relations Cell, CM Bhajanlal Sharma spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and gathered detailed information about the relief and rescue operations.

As per the release, CM Dhami assured CM Bhajanlal that the Uttarakhand government is engaged in relief work and the local administration has been instructed not to leave any stone unturned.

The Chief Minister said that 20 passengers in the mishap also included residents of Rajasthan. He said that the governments of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand are in constant contact and coordination.

CM Bhajanlal Sharma said that the state governments of both Uttarakhand and Rajasthan stand with the affected families in the hour of grief.

The death toll in the bus mishap that took place in Rudraprayag district early Thursday morning increased to four, after the body of another passenger was found floating near the dam in Srinagar, Pauri Garhwal.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Inspector Manjari Negi spoke to ANI and said, 'A body of another deceased passenger in the Rudraprayag bus accident has been found floating near the dam in Srinagar. The deceased has been identified as Gauri Soni. SDRF is engaged in search and rescue for those who remain missing.'

Speaking about rescue operation in Alaknanda river, SDRF Inspector Manjari Negi said, 'As soon as our team received this information, we all gathered here. One team of the SSB is also present. We divided the team into three parts---one near Goa Beach, one near Dhari Devi, and one on the dam. We have split the SSB team into these three sections and are constantly searching with binoculars and ourselves. Whatever we find here, we will recover. We have OVM and rafts. If anyone sees something, we will recover it.'

According to officials, the bus, en route to Badrinath from Rudraprayag, collided with an oncoming vehicle at Gholthir area, lost control, and fell into a 300-meter-deep gorge before landing in the river.

Vinod Kumar Suman, Uttarakhand Secretary, Disaster Management said, 'There were 20 passengers in the bus that was swept away in the river in Gholthir. The passengers included a driver from Haridwar, seven people from Rajasthan, three from Madhya Pradesh, seven from Gujarat, and two from Maharashtra.'

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the Rudraprayag bus accident that so far has claimed one life, injuring seven others.

In a post on X, CM Dhami said, '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.'

Following the incident, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team and police officials immediately rushed to the spot for a rescue operation. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has launched a search operation near the Srinagar Garhwal dam, approximately 40 kilometres from the accident site. Given the strong river currents, it's estimated that passengers from the bus might have been swept towards the dam. (ANI)