Overview
- Late Tuesday night the SUV carrying four tourists left the Atal Tunnel north portal, went off the road while negotiating a turn and plunged toward the Chandra River, killing a 34-year-old man identified as Kailash of Sikar and injuring three others.
- Police say preliminary findings point to overspeeding and driver loss of control soon after exiting the tunnel and they have taken the deceased for post‑mortem while the injured are receiving treatment in hospital.
- The vehicle struck an under‑construction bridge and multiple exposed iron rods pierced the SUV, which trapped occupants and made the rescue operation by police and fire crews difficult.
- A video of the mangled Scorpio circulated on social media and prompted renewed police warnings that tourists should avoid night travel and overspeeding on slippery monsoon roads with limited visibility.
- Local officials and stakeholders have raised broader safety concerns about rising tourist traffic through the Atal Tunnel and call for coordinated action on carrying capacity, road enforcement and construction-site safeguarding to prevent similar crashes.