7 dead in J&K as car falls into gorge

The police said that four people died on the spot while the driver succumbed to his injuries at Ramban district hospital.

Three minors were among seven people killed and one person was injured after the Tata Sumo they were travelling in, fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on Saturday.

The police said that a rescue operation was launched by the police with the help of locals.(HT Photo)

“The cab with eight passengers on board plunged into a gorge on Alinbass-Ukhral link road in Ramsu area of the district this afternoon,” said Anita Sharma, Ramban senior superintendent of police (SSP).She said that a rescue operation was launched by police along with locals. The cab was on its way to Alinbass from Ukhral when it skidded off the road.

The SSP informed that while four people — Neelofar Bano, 16, of Khudmalla Danmasta; Tarda Devi, 54, of Batote; Sanvi Devi, 10, of Krimchi; Mohammad Iqbal Jaral of Alinbass — died on the spot, driver Javed Ahmed Jaral, 45, of Alinbass Bati succumbed to injuries at Ramban district hospital and Sandeep Singh of Alinbass, died at the helipad at Chanderkote. Faizan Ahmed, 14, of Ukhral, who was airlifted to Jammu for specialised treatment, succumbed to injuries late in the evening.

“There were eight people, including the driver, aboard the vehicle. The cause of mishap remains a subject of investigation but it was a link road where the mishap occurred. Whether driver was overspeeding or something else happened, will be established soon. Police have initiated the investigations,” she said. Prima facie it appeared to be a case of negligent driving, she added.

A case under Ranbir Penal Code section 279 and 337 has been filed, she added.