Passenger bus ferrying 17 passengers fell into deep gorge, lone survivor critical
Owais Gul
Doda, Nov 12 (KNO): Sixteen passengers died while as only one survived in a deadly accident in Doda district of Jammu on Tuesday after a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge.
According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a passenger mini-bus bearing registration number JK061182 that was on way from Doda to Marmat. “When the bus reached Khelanni spot, it skidded off the road and fell down several hundred feet into a deep gorge,” an official in Doda said.
He said that amid shrieks and cries, the vehicle hit the ground leaving all the 17 persons including two children on board. Soon after the accident, locals rushed to the spot and rescued the injured who were critically injured. “The injured were rushed to the hospital but on way to the hospital, 16 injured succumbed and were brought dead to the hospital,” a group of locals told KNO over phone from Doda.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Doda Mumtaz Ahmed said that 16 people died in the accident while as only one survived, who is critical and has been shifted to Jammu hospital. “We have registered a case and investigations taken up to find out the actual cause of accident,” he said. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chander Murmu expressed his shock and grief over the tragic incident and directed the district administration to announce the ex-gratia for the next of kin (NoK) of deceased.