NEW DELHI, Nov 15: At least 36 passengers were killed and 19 others were injured when a bus they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in the Chenab Valley in Doda district in Kashmir on Wednesday morning
The bus, carrying 55 passengers, which could be seen in CCTV footage crossing a checkpoint minutes before the accident, skidded off the road near Trungal-Assar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway and fell 300 feet downhill, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said.
The cause of the accident is not immediately known. The bus was badly damaged due to the impact of the accident, as it kept hitting big rocks, eyewitnesses said.
“Saddened to share the update from DC #Doda Sh Harvinder Singh from the spot of the accident. Unfortunately 36 persons have died and 19 injured, out of whom 6 injured are serious,” Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said. He added that the injured are being shifted to goverment-run hospitals in Doda and Kishtwar. Dr Singh also said a helicopter service was being arranged to airlift the injured.
“Injured being shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar and GMC Doda as per requirement. Helicopter service to be arranged for shifting the more injured ones. All possible help, as required being provided,” Mr Singh said on X.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences. “I am deeply saddened by the news of the unfortunate death of several passengers in a bus accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. I express my condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.
The Prime Minister’s office said, “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.”
An ex-gratia of ₹two lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. ₹50,000 would be given to the injured,” the PMO India said, in a post on X.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who also expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, directed the Divisional Commissioner and the district administration to provide all necessary assistance to affected persons.
(Manas Dasgupta)