09/01/2024
A very sad day for Rajaji Tiger Reserve. During the testing of a new interceptor vehicle which came as a trial for the rescue of animals in the Chilla range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. This interceptor vehicle (called Pravaig, a start up battery car) went out of control and collided with a tree and fell through the security wall of the District Ganga Canal.
Five people, including the lady Wildlife Warden, the young Range officer, Deputy Range officer, a temporary Forest staff driver & the driver belonging to the trial battery car company died in the accident. While five people were injured. All the injured have been taken to AIIMS, Rishikesh.
Mrs. Aloki Devi, wildlife warden of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, went missing after falling into the District Ganga Canal. SDRF team is busy searching for her.
The Range Officer Deceased Forest Jurisdiction Shailesh Ghildiyal is the brother of IAS Mangesh Ghildiyal, Deputy Secretary in the PMO.
The incident took place at 5 pm on Monday when forest department officials and employees were coming to the Chilla barrage road in an interceptor vehicle from the Chilla range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve for testing. This vehicle suddenly went out of control after coming to Chilla Ganga Canal, a little ahead of Cheela Hydroelectric Power House, where the vehicle first collided with a tree due to which some people traveling in it got scattered, before hitting the roll cage bar and fell into the ditch on the left side. As, all of the deceased had severe head injuries.
After hitting the tree, the vehicle hit the parapet built towards the Cheela Ganga Canal, in which wild life protector Ms. Aloki Devi flew off & fell into the Cheela Canal. While others were seriously injured.
After receiving the information by passer bystanders, police and forest department employees reached the spot and took the injured to AIIMS Rishikesh. Where doctors declared Shailesh Ghildiyal (Range Officer), Pramod Dhyani (Deputy Forest Jurisdiction), Saif Ali Khan, Kulraj Singh dead.
While the injured include Himanshu Gosai (driver), Rakesh Nautiyal Rajaji National Park, Ankush, Amit Semwal (driver), Ashwin Biju (driver).
At the same time, no trace has been found of wild life protector Alokhi. Police and SDRF team is busy searching for the missing in District Ganga Canal.
According to the Forest Department, the deceased Kulraj Singh and Ankush are employees of a vehicle manufacturing company. Both of them were conducting trial of the vehicle with them.