GANDERBAL: At least 18 tourists were injured after a Tempo Traveller met with an accident at Sumbal Bala on the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) Road in Ganderbal district on Tuesday. Eight of the injured, including tourists from Gujarat and West Bengal, were referred to SKIMS Soura for specialised treatment.
Officials said all the injured were shifted to Primary Health Centre (PHC) Gund soon after the accident, where they underwent emergency medical assessment and resuscitation. Following evaluation and triage by medical officers, eight patients were referred to SKIMS Soura for further treatment, while those with minor injuries remained admitted at PHC Gund under observation.
The critically injured referred to SKIMS were identified as Sharda Rani, 58, wife of Ramesh Ji; Ramesh Ji, 52; Jayesh, 42; Shobhna Patel, 50; Rajesh Kumar; Swapnadyuti Ghosh, 24; Mala Ghosh, 48; and Surajit Ghosh, 61. The tourists belonged to Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat and Murshidabad in West Bengal.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he had spoken to senior officials, the Director of SKIMS and the Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal regarding the accident.
In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said eight injured tourists from Gujarat and West Bengal had been referred to SKIMS. He directed officials and the Director of the institute to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.
At least 18 people, including the driver, were injured after a Tempo Traveller carrying tourists from Sonamarg to Srinagar plunged nearly 60 feet into a gorge near Gund Sumbal Power House in the Kangan area of Ganderbal district on Tuesday. Six of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The vehicle, bearing registration number DL1VC-5231, was travelling towards Srinagar when it reportedly veered off the road and fell into the deep gorge.
Soon after the accident, local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation to evacuate the injured. Ambulances were mobilised from several health facilities, including Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at Sonamarg, Gund and Ganiwan.
All 18 injured persons were shifted to PHC Gund, where they received initial medical attention before being referred to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar, for specialised treatment.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Kangan Rajesh Raina confirmed the incident, stating that all 18 occupants, including the driver, had sustained injuries and that six were in critical condition.
A medical official at SKIMS said all the injured were residents of Gurdaspur district in Punjab.
The exact cause of the accident was not immediately known. However, preliminary assessment suggested that over-speeding may have contributed to the vehicle losing control.
