Two killed, eight injured as vehicle from Gangtok plunges into gorge on NH-10 in Kalimpong

Two people were killed, and eight others injured after a car coming from Sikkim’s Gangtok plunged nearly 500 feet into a gorge off National Highway 10 in West Bengal’s Kalimpong district, drawing attention to the dangers of the landslide-prone hill road.

The accident occurred on the evening of December 12 near Birik Dara when the Siliguri-bound vehicle skidded off the highway after the driver lost control, a senior police officer said.

Local residents, workers of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and police teams rushed to the site and launched a rescue operation despite the difficult terrain.

“Two persons died, and eight injured people were taken to the Rambi Hospital,” the officer said. “Later, some of the critically injured have been referred to hospitals in Siliguri” for further treatment.

An investigation into the accident has been initiated, police said. The stretch of NH-10 where the incident took place is known to be vulnerable to landslides, particularly during the monsoon season.