Gangtok, Dec 30: A tragic road accident was reported on Tuesday afternoon in North Sikkim’s Dzongu region when a private vehicle traveling from Lachung met with a serious mishap. The car, a Nexa Ignis bearing registration number JH 01DJ 0925 and registered in Jharkhand, reportedly lost control at Saffo Upper Dzongu, nearly 10 kilometers away from the Sangkalang Outpost, at around 1 pm.
The accident claimed the life of Rekha Chaudhary, a 58-year-old resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand, who was among the occupants of the vehicle. The incident has cast a pall of grief over the victims’ families and raised concerns over road safety in the hilly terrain of North Sikkim.
Four other passengers sustained severe injuries and were immediately shifted to the District Hospital in Mangan for emergency medical care. Given the seriousness of their condition, two of the injured — Saswat Sahu and Varsha Varnwat — were later referred to Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital in Gangtok for advanced treatment. The remaining injured passengers, Rahul Kumar and Neha Rani, are currently undergoing treatment at the Mangan District Hospital and are reported to be under close medical observation.
The injured individuals have been identified as Rahul Kumar (39), Saswat Sahu (36), Varsha Varnwat (38), and Neha Rani (35), all residents of Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Local authorities have initiated the necessary procedures, and further details regarding the cause of the accident are awaited. The incident once again highlights the need for extra caution while traveling on mountain roads, especially during winter conditions in Sikkim.
