In a tragic road accident, at least nine passengers were killed and 13 others sustained injuries, some of them critical, when a Matador (mini bus) in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into about 100 feet deep gorge near Bhalla under the jurisdiction of the Bhaderwah police station on Wednesday afternoon.
Reports said about 3pm near Bhalla, the driver of the ill-fated Matador (JK06-1389) lost control over the vehicle due to which it rolled down into a gorge, resulting in on-the-spot death of five persons and injuries to 17 others. Out of the injured four persons succumbed to their injuries in Doda hospital, taking the death toll to nine.
Soon after receiving the information about the accident, the Doda superintendent of police, along with a contingent of police personnel rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation. The occupants of the vehicle were evacuated and rushed to the district hospital, Doda, where five persons were declared as brought dead while 17 others were admitted in for treatment. Another four injured succumbed to their injuries taking the death toll to nine.
The deceased who died on the spot were identified as Kiran Deep, Pushpa Devi and Rinko Devi, all resident of Bhaderwah; Sajad Ali, a resident of Jharkhand; and Asma Begum of Sanai Khelani.
{{/usCountry}}The deceased who died on the spot were identified as Kiran Deep, Pushpa Devi and Rinko Devi, all resident of Bhaderwah; Sajad Ali, a resident of Jharkhand; and Asma Begum of Sanai Khelani.
{{/usCountry}}The four injured who later succumbed their injures in Doda hospital were identified as Nissar Ahmed and Shahid Hussain, both residents of Malnai Bhaderwah, Om Raj of Gudsa Bhaderwah and Janki of Malothi Bhaderwah.