DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
Jammu, Nov 15
At least 39 passengers, including six women, were killed and 17 others injured when a bus they were travelling in skidded off and rolled down into 300-foot-deep gorge in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh each as ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased.
Police said that at least 39 people were killed and many injured after a passenger bus fell into a deep gorge in the Assar area of Doda district.
“A passenger bus (JK02CN-6555) that left Kishtwar at around 0800 hrs skidded off the road and rolled down into a 300-foot-deep gorge near Trungal-Assar of Doda on the Batote-Kishtwar highway when driver of bus failed to negotiate a sharp cure,” police said. Police added that a rescue team rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation and men and machinery were pressed into service to shift the injured for medical treatment.
“DIG DKR Range, DC Doda and SSP Doda are on the spot, supervising the rescue operation which is being carried out by police/civil administration with the help of locals, volunteers and local NGOs. Thirty-six passengers have died in the tragic incident while 20 have been injured, some of them critically. Four critically injured people have been airlifted to Jammu for treatment,” Police said.
“Twenty-one deceased including six females have been identified while process of identification of the dead is on. The 18 injured include four minors.”
“Later two of airlifted critically injured person succumbed to their injuries,” Police said.
PRO Defence Jammu Lt Col Sunil Bartwal said that in a commendable display of promptness and coordination, the Indian Army, in collaboration with civil administration, conducted a swift rescue operation in response to a grievous accident on National Highway at Assar.
“The Indian Army’s Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and medical personnel from COB Assar swiftly reached the accident site and evacuated the injured to Government Hospital Doda”.
Col Bartwal said, “The unfortunate incident resulted in a total of 38 casualties, with 32 passengers declared dead initially while 20 individuals sustained injuries and immediate medical assistance is being provided”. “A total of 58 individuals were on board the ill-fated bus at the time of the incident, ” he said, adding, “Army expresses its deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragic accident.”
SSP Doda Abdul Qayoom, who personally supervised the rescue operations confirmed the accident toll to 39 while 17 others are being hospitalized.
Deputy commissioner Doda Harvinder Singh said over phone that police and civil administration immediately swung into action and launched a massive rescue operation and evacuated injured to Government Medical College Doda.
“Four critically injured were airlifted to Jammu for specialized treatment,” DC Doda Singh added. He said the identification process of the deceased is on.
After hearing the news of the tragic accident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the incident.
“The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest,” Modi said on X (formerly Twitter).
He announced that an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each would be given to the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Union home minister Amit Shah, Union minister Jitendra Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.
“Deeply anguished to learn about the loss of precious lives due to a tragic bus accident at Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. The local administration is conducting the rescue operation in the gorge where the bus had the accident. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Shah wrote on X.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha wrote on X: “Extremely pained by the loss of lives in a tragic bus accident in Assar, Doda. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families and wishing for a speedy recovery of those injured in the accident. Directed Div Com and Dist Admin to provide all necessary assistance to affected persons.”
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah, president, J&K BJP, Ravinder Raina, working president J&K Congress Raman Bhalla and others also have expressed grief and shock over the loss of lives.
