Two injured in Pakyong road crash; body of missing youth recovered from Dam

Two separate incidents reported from Pakyong district have raised safety concerns in the region, highlighting both traffic-related risks and the dangers posed by river currents during the monsoon season.

In the first incident, a serious road accident occurred on July 19 near the Samaritan Rehab Centre along the Pakyong-Rorathang road. As per police reports, two motorcycles collided head-on around 4:40 PM, leaving both riders severely injured.

The crash involved a motorcycle heading towards Rangpo with a pillion passenger, which was struck by another two-wheeler reportedly travelling on the wrong side of the road. The impact of the collision was significant, and all three individuals involved in the accident were immediately rushed to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Pakyong. Due to the severity of their injuries, both riders were later referred to a higher medical centre for further treatment. The pillion rider is reported to be in stable condition.

Legal formalities are being carried out, and an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 has been registered. The case is currently under investigation, and authorities are awaiting medical updates before taking any further action regarding the alleged traffic violation.

In a separate development, a missing person case reported earlier this month ended in heartbreak after the body of a 24-year-old man was recovered from a dam at 9th Mile near Pakyong.

On the morning of July 19, a local resident informed the police that a body was seen floating in the water at the Madhya Bharat Dam. Family members and villagers reached the site and identified the body as that of a young man from Setipool who had been missing since July 13. According to preliminary information, the deceased may have fallen into the river while under the influence of alcohol. His last known location was near the "London Bridge" area, and it is suspected that he jumped into the river late at night.

An inquest was conducted by the local magistrate, and the autopsy was carried out at STNM Hospital in Gangtok. The body was later handed over to the family. As of now, police have not found any signs of foul play, and the matter is being treated as a case of accidental drowning. However, the investigation remains open under the provisions of the BNSS, 2023.

Meanwhile, the transport department continued its regular enforcement checks in the region. Police reported that two vehicles in Gangtok-Singtam area and six in Pakyong were penalised under the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for various violations.