Srinagar: Four people hailing from Bihar were killed and 28 injured when their bus overturned in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday, officials said.
The incident took place on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in the Gooripora area of Awantipora in the south Kashmir district, they added.
Four passengers, all residents of Bihar, traveling in a bus (JK02BA-1881) were killed in the accident, the officials said, adding that 28 passengers were injured, of whom 23 were rushed to various hospitals for treatment.
The deceased were identified as Nasrudin Ansari, son of Islam Ansari of Khairawa Tola Pakri Harditerha West Champaran, Bihar; Raj Karan Das, son of Shivu of Singhari Gobindpur Kishanganj, Khatia Pichhia, Bihar; Saleem Ali, son of Mohammad Alauddin of Hakimnagar Chilhapara, Katihar, Telta Bihar; and Kaisher Alam,s on of Sheo Majaqurul, of Birnagar Sharifnagar Barsoiqhat, Katihar, Bihar.
Among 28 injured persons, five with minor injuries were treated at SDH Pampore and were discharged after first-aid, while 11 were shifted to SMHS Srinagar, two to SKIMS Soura, and 10 to Bones and Joints Hospital Srinagar where the condition of a few more was said to be critical.
Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha expressed anguish over the incident and directed the district administration to provide all necessary assistance to the affected people.
“I am deeply anguished by the unfortunate bus accident in Awantipora today, in which precious lives have been lost and many others have been injured. I have issued instructions to the district administration to provide all necessary assistance to the affected persons,” Sinha wrote on Twitter.
He said the district administration is in touch with the bereaved families in Bihar to provide all possible help.
“My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” the LG added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama announced the ex-gratia of Rs lakh for the next of kin of each of the deceased, Rs 25,000 for critically injured persons, and Rs 10,000 for persons with minor injuries. He also ensured the best possible medical treatment for the injured in hospitals.
DC Pulwama Baseer ul Haq Choudhary also said that all formalities to take dead bodies back to Bihar have been completed and the administration will bear the expenses for it.
He also visited SMHS and Bones and Joints hospitals in Srinagar to inquire about the condition of the injured persons interned in these facilities.
Bihar CM announces two lakh as ex-gratia to kin of each deceased
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday expressed grief over the death of four migrant workers from the state in a road mishap in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s office, instructions were issued for payment of Rs two lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of each deceased.
Besides, the state’s Resident Commissioner at New Delhi was directed to get in touch with the administration in Jammu and Kashmir, to make arrangements for bringing the bodies to the respective native villages of the deceased and also ensure proper treatment of those, from Bihar, who were injured in the mishap.
