President Mukherjee was on his way to Bagdogra from where he was supposed to return to Delhi after a three-day trip when the accident happened around 11.30am in Sonada, about 16 kilometres from Darjeeling.

The car involved in the accident was the last vehicle in the President’s cavalcade with chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s convoy immediately following it.

“After Pranabda’s car moved on, the third car slipped and rolled down the incline. There were five men in the vehicle, all have been rescued. We immediately informed Pranabda and stopped all the vehicles to start rescue efforts,” the chief minister said.

The accident injured six people including an IB officer. Because of low visibility due to rains and fog, the SUV, Mahindra Scorpio, which was third car in the convoy carrying Security Liaison Officer of the Intelligence Bureau and local police officials, skidded off the road and rolled down the deep gorge before getting stuck in trees near Sonada, 30 kms from here.