New Tehri (Uttarakhand): Eight persons returning from a funeral were killed and two others injured on the Chamba–Kauti road in Tehri, Uttarakhand, after the SUV they were travelling in fell into a gorge near Nail on Thursday, the police said. 

Tehri District Magistrate Nitika Khandelwal said the victims, residents of Thyoldhar village in Ghansali, were returning home after performing the last rites of a villager in Haridwar.

There were around 10 people in the vehicle at the time of the accident, she said, adding that emergency and rescue teams have recovered eight bodies and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital.

Police said those killed include the son of the person whose funeral they had attended.

The travellers had halted for lunch near Agarkhal around 3 p.m., and the incident occurred soon after, police said, adding that it is suspected the driver may have dozed off at the wheel.

Seven of the eight deceased have been identified as Lakshman (33), son of Mukhiliya, a resident of Chanji, Tehri Garhwal; Asha Lal (40), son of Asadu, a resident of Thela, Ghansali, Tehri; Vijay Lal (36), son of Bhurkhaliya, a resident of Thela, Ghansali, Tehri; Prem Lal (60), son of Sampat Lal, a resident of Village Chakreda, Ghansali, Tehri; Mahavir (60), son of Vishulal, a resident of Village Chakreda, Ghansali, Tehri; Shiv Singh (35), son of Pushkar Singh, a resident of Village Holta, Ghansali, Tehri; and Sehat Lal (65), son of Gopal, a resident of Village Chakreda, Ghansali, Tehri. The eighth victim could not be identified till late evening.

The injured were identified as Uttam (30), son of Pussu, a resident of Village Lostu, Badiyargarh, and Ankit (22), son of Asha Lal, a resident of Village Nelchami, Ghansali, police said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the incident and announced relief and assistance for the kin of the victims.