Two youths were killed and two others critically injured after their car plunged into a gorge of the Teesta river along National Highway-10 near the 29th Mile stretch in Kalimpong early on Friday.
The accident occurred near the Badrevirik area while the four were returning to Gangtok from Siliguri in north Bengal after attending a relative’s wedding.
The deceased were identified as Aniket Prasad Gupta (28) and Aman Gupta (24), both residents of Sikkim. Police said the vehicle lost control in the early hours and fell into the deep gorge along the river.
Preliminary investigation suggests the mishap may have occurred after the driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel. Officials said low water levels in the Teesta meant the vehicle plunged into a ditch and suffered severe damage.
Aniket and Aman were recovered dead at the spot. The two injured occupants, Kunal Gupta and Pawan Kumar Prasad, were rescued by police and fire brigade personnel and rushed to hospital. Hospital sources said both remain in critical condition.
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The bodies have been sent to Kalimpong District Hospital for post-mortem examination. Efforts are underway to retrieve the mangled vehicle from the gorge.
Kalimpong Superintendent of Police Aparajita Rai said the exact circumstances leading to the crash were being probed.
Local drivers alleged that the stretch of NH-10 lacks adequate lighting and guardrails along the gorge. Prakash Prasad, a local driver, blamed the absence of safety barriers. “There is no guardrail on the side of the road. If there had been one, this accident might not have happened,” he said.
A relative of the deceased, Niranjan Gupta, said he was unaware of the exact time they left the wedding venue. “I don’t know when they left after the ceremony in the morning. The car fell into a ditch while going back,” he said.
Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.
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