STATE TIMES NEWS
Kishtwar/Jammu: Eight people, including a 16-year-old girl, were killed and three others sustained serious injuries when the car in which they were travelling skidded off the road and plunged into a 300-feet gorge in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.
The vehicle was on its way from Chingam to Chatroo and the accident occurred around 3.15 pm near Bonda village. All the passengers who died belonged to Bonda village, officials said.
Bus carrying Vaishno Devi pilgrims overturns; 1 died, 16 injured
Jammu: A five-year-old boy was killed and 16 persons injured on Tuesday when a bus carrying Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims overturned in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The bus was on its way to Delhi from Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the famous shrine atop Trikuta hills, they said.
The officials said the driver of the bus lost control and hit a parked bus before his vehicle overturned at Kadmal, resulting in the death of Shubham Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh.
Sixteen passengers, including four women and three children, were injured and evacuated to a nearby hospital, they said, adding four of the injured were later referred to Government Medical College Hospital Jammu for specialised treatment.
The officials said seven of the injured are from Uttar Pradesh, four from Haryana, three from Jammu and Kashmir and two from Delhi.
They said, rescue teams, comprising police, and Rashtriya Rifles personnel and local villagers, carried out the rescue operation.
Five people were found dead on the spot and three others succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital, officials said, adding three more injured were hospitalised in a critical condition.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Shafqat Bhat reached the scene of the accident immediately after hearing the news and was seen supervising the rescue operation, officials said.
The deceased were identified as Bashir Ahmad (35), his brother Nazir Ahmad (25), Mohammad Akbar (28), his brother Fareed (25), Nusrat Banoo (16), Fareed Hussain (25), Shareef (25) and Noor Hussain (35).
The injured – Khatoon Begum (45), Akhter Hussain (30) and Manzoor Ahmad (25) are undergoing treatment at the government hospital, they said.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh termed the accident as unfortunate and said all possible help, as required, will be provided.”
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed the district administration to ensure best possible treatment to the injured.
Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic road accident in Kishtwar. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. Directed district administration to ensure best possible treatment to the injured, the Lt Governor tweeted.
Former minister G M Saroori also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and demanded immediate ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of each deceased.
