Eight killed in twin road accidents in Doda, Kishtwar

CM Aggrieved

Jammu: The tragedy hit the state for the second time in 3 days, as 7 people died and 8 others were left injured when an overloaded vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and rolled down into a gorge in Doda district on Friday.
The incident occurred on Suigwari-Chirala road near Puneja village, 22 km from Doda town, when a people-mover, bearing registration number JK02-AR-8358, lost control and fell into a 150 feet deep gorge at around 11:30 AM in the morning. The vehicle carrying 15 persons including the driver, was on its way to Chirala from Pul Doda, the police informed.
While four among the passengers died on the spot, three of them succumbed to their injuries, later in the day.
"Locals along with police personnel immediately reached the spot and rescued the trapped passengers from the damaged vehicle and shifted them to district hospital Doda, where doctors declared four of them, including the driver, brought dead," DySP DAR Doda, Nazir Ahmed Ganai informed, adding three more breathed their last in the hospital, taking the toll to seven.
The four deceased who were killed on the spot were identified as Mohd Yousaf Khan son of Wali Khan of Sunar Thawaha, Om Prakash son of Vidya Lal of Bankhan Thawaha, Fazal Din son of Roshan Din of Jandani and Punjab Singh son of Khazan Chand of Bonjwah, whereas those who died later in hospital were identified as Rajeshwar Singh and Gulab Sing even as one of the deceased was yet to be identified, officials said.
Talking to The News Now, Deputy Commissioner of Doda Bhupinder Singh informed that immediate relief of Rs 10000 and Rs 5000 has been given to the Next of Kin of deceased and injured, respectively while the administration would announce the relief from SDRF in a couple of days.
In another incident, one person was killed when a Tata Mahindra vehicle bearing registration number JK17-2125, rolled down into a deep gorge, on its way to Kishtwar from Paddar. The vehicle skidded off the road near Butt Cresher area.
The deceased has been identified as Akhtar Hussain (26), son of Bashir Ahmed of Link Road, Kishtwar.
It was second major road accident in the span of three days in the region. Earlier, on Wednesday, nine people were killed and six others injured after their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Mahore area of Reasi.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed shock and grief over the tragic accidents. CM Mufti, who is in the national capital, upon hearing of the accident, directed immediate evacuation of the injured for specialised treatment at Jammu hospitals.
Expressing concern over the rising road accidents and loss of lives, Mehbooba Mufti has directed the concerned Departments to undertake reviews and field exercises to minimise this trend and save precious lives.