Rajouri: Two persons were killed and 21 others injured after a passenger vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Moghla village in Rajouri district on Friday.
An official said the vehicle, bearing registration number JK20C-8295, met with the accident within the jurisdiction of Triyath Police Post while the occupants were returning from Marchola village after attending a condolence meet.
Soon after the accident, locals and police personnel launched a rescue operation and shifted the injured to Primary Health Centre (PHC) Moghla for treatment.
According to medical records, two persons were brought dead to the health facility. They were identified as Balbir Singh, 45, son of Suram Singh, and Pritam Singh, son of Sant Ram, both residents of Moghla.
The injured included men, women and elderly persons, most of them residents of Moghla, officials said.
Those injured were identified as Kaushal Singh, 23; Joginder Singh, 80; Ambika Sharma, 45; Kaushalya Devi, 65; Babli Devi, 30; Kamal Singh, 55; Digpal Singh, 50; Sanjay Kumar, 30, a resident of Thalka; Rano Devi, 61; Shardi Devi, 60; Darshana Devi, 35; Sudesh Kumar, 50; Satya Devi, 70, a resident of Badhog; Bindo Devi, 35; Satvir Singh, 60; Parvez Singh, 65; Bimla Devi, 60; Neelam Devi, 40; Joginder Singh, 45; Sundar Singh, 60; and Sanyogita Kumari, 55.
Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated an investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading to the accident.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed deep grief over the tragic road accident in Rajouri district this evening, in which precious lives were lost and several others sustained critical injuries.
Conveying his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the Chief Minister expressed sympathy with those who lost their loved ones in the tragic incident. He directed the district administration to expedite rescue operations and ensure the best possible medical treatment for all the injured.
The accident occurred when a passenger vehicle met with an accident in the Bdhog area of Moghla, falling under the jurisdiction of Police Post Teryath in Rajouri district. Two persons died on the spot, while five others sustained critical injuries.
