E-Paper
22 dead, 64 injured as bus falls into gorge in Jammu
According to the police, the bus was carrying passengers from Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh to Shiv Khori shrine in Reasi district of Jammu
At least 22 pilgrims, including three minors and nine women died, and 64 others sustained injuries after a bus they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge in the Akhnoor area of Jammu district on the Jammu-Poonch national highway on Thursday, officials said.
According to the police, the bus (UP-81-CT-4058) was carrying passengers from Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh to Shiv Khori shrine in Reasi district of Jammu, when it fell into a gorge at Tungi Morh, 12km from Akhnoor on the highway.
Confirming the deaths, block medical officer of Akhnoor sub-division Dr Saleem Khan said: “At least 22 are confirmed dead and 64 others have been injured.” Of the 22 dead, 16 have been identified. All the victims are residents of Hathras and Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.
Soon after the incident, locals along with police and some army jawans launched rescue operations.
In a statement issued later in the day, police said: “Bodies of the victims have been shifted to a sub-district hospital in Akhnoor and those injured are being treated in GMC, Jammu. Rescue operations are still on.”
Akhnoor station house officer Tariq Ahmed said: “The area where the accident took place has sharp curves. Prima facie, it appears that the bus driver was feeling drowsy and lost control over the vehicle. It rolled down around 150 to 200 feet into the gorge,” he said.
Expressing grief over the accident, the Prime Minister’s Office posted on X: “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Akhnoor. I pray that the injured recover soon. “ ₹2 lakh would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000,” the post read.
J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, too, conveyed his condolences over the accident.
“An ex gratia of ₹5 lakh will be given to the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured in the accident,” according to office of the J&K lieutenant governor.
“Pained beyond words to learn about the loss of lives in a bus accident in Akhnoor. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured,” President Droupadi Murmu wrote on ‘X’.
