&nbsp;A tragic turn of events during a Char Dham pilgrimage has shaken Udaipur, as the body of local lawyer Sanjay Soni (55) was recovered from the Alaknanda River in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, after a devastating accident on Thursday morning.
The accident occurred near Gholtir, where a minibus carrying pilgrims plunged into the river after being hit by a truck. The impact caused the bus to fall into the fast-flowing waters, triggering a massive rescue operation.
Sanjay Soni, a resident of Bhatt Ji Ki Bawdi, Udaipur, was among the pilgrims. His body was found approximately 7 kilometres downstream from the crash site. His son, Deepak Soni, has reached the spot to assist with official procedures.
Tragically, four members of his family &mdash; his wife Chetna, mother Sushila, and sister Ranjana &mdash; remain missing, along with tour operator Ravi Bhavsar, also from Udaipur.
The group had embarked on the religious journey ten days ago as part of a Char Dham Yatra arranged by Bhavsar. The bus carried pilgrims from Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, including seven from Udaipur.
Locals such as Lalit Soni, a Udaipur native based in Surat, were also part of the group, accompanied by several relatives.
The tragic incident has left multiple families in anguish. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities battling the strong river currents to locate the missing.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed condolences and assured ongoing coordination with the Uttarakhand government. &ldquo;I pray to Baba Badrinath ji for peace for the departed souls, the safe return of the missing, and the recovery of the injured,&rdquo; he said in a statement.
The Rudraprayag tragedy has cast a pall over Udaipur, as families await updates with hope and heartbreak.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Rudraprayag: Udaipur Lawyer Dead, 4 Others Still Missing

Sanjay Soni’s body found 7 km downstream as search continues for missing pilgrims in Alaknanda river.

Rudraprayag: Udaipur Lawyer Dead, 4 Others Still Missing

Sanjay Soni’s body found 7 km downstream as search continues for missing pilgrims in Alaknanda river.

June 28, 2025 | 24:18 IST