Kishtwar/Jammu: Eight people, including a 16-year-old girl, were killed and three others sustained serious injuries when the vehicle, they were travelling in, 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.
They said, rescue teams, comprising police, 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 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.”
Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha expressd condolences to the bereaved families 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 injured. Directed district administration to ensure best possible treatment to the injured,” LG tweeted.
Meanwhile, three former chief ministers, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti too expressed shock over the loss of lives.
“I am deeply shocked to learn about the loss of lives in a fatal road accident at Chatru, Kishtwar, J&K. My heart goes out for those who met with such a tragic accident. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” Azad tweeted.
Expressing his condolences, Omar Abdullah tweeted: “Very tragic. My heart felt condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this accident. May the deceased rest in peace & may the injured make a swift recovery”.
Expressing shock over the accident, Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the tragic road accident at Chatru in Kishtwar. My thoughts & prayers are with the families who lost their loved ones & prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured”.
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.
In a separate incident in Katra, a minor was killed and 16 people were injured in head-on collision between two tourist buses from Haryana.
Officials said that the buses collided at Kadmal, leaving 5-year-old Shubam Kumar, son of Ranjeet, resident of Agra, UP dead and 16 other passengers injured, who were admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Moreover, 11 persons including nine students were injured when an autorickshaw on its way from Kah to Nagrota slipped 20 feet off the roads near Panchayat Ghar Kah.
Four of the injured were referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Kathua.
