Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 20: As the Government continues to turn a Nelson’s eye towards implementation of suggestions and measures of its own committees for avoiding road mishaps in the State, yet another tragic accident claimed lives of 14 passengers, including five women and a minor, while 18 others were critically injured when an overloaded minibus rolled down in a deep gorge near Ramnagar in Udhampur district, this morning.
The accident took place around 8.20 a.m and the ill fated minibus was on way from Ghordi to Ramnagar when it rolled down at Gurland, near Dalsar. The 24 seater 6-tyre mini-bus, bearing registration number JK14C-8068, was carrying 32 persons, including driver and cleaner.
Thirteen persons died on the spot while another one succumbed to his injuries at District Hospital Udhampur. Among the injured, five were referred to GMC Hospital Jammu and three others to Military Hospital Udhampur in view of their critical condition. Eight victims are undergoing treatment at District Hospital Udhampur and two at Sub-District Hospital Ramnagar.
On the direction of Government, the District Administration has provided relief of Rs one lakh each to the Next of Kin of dead persons and Rs ten thousand each to the injured of the accident.
According to the surviving victims, driver of the minibus was allegedly speaking on his mobile phone when he lost control over the vehicle, which was also overspeeding to keep a following passenger bus away. As the narrow road stretch has no parapets, the uncontrolled minibus plunged into deep gorge and rolled down around 65 meters before getting stuck in dense bushes and boulders.
Immediately after the accident, locals rushed to the spot and launched rescue operation with the help of Police, Health Department officials and others. Eight ambulances, rescue teams and cranes were also rushed to spot. Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, DIG Udhampur-Reasi Surinder Kumar Gupta along with SSP Suleiman Choudhary, CMO Dr Chander Parkash, BMO Ramnagar Rajesh Gupta, ARTO Udhampur Rajesh Gupta and DySP Traffic also reached the spot.
The dead passengers were identified as Ajay Kumar (18), son of Nek Ram of Surni, Khem Raj (56), son of Tej Ram of Nallaha Gorrian, Sapana Devi (10), daughter of Sudesh Kumar of Plassian, Surjoo Devi (32), wife of Tulsi Das of Dalsar, Bindoo Ram (40), son of Chinku of Jandhore, Neshi (46), wife of Shakti of Kanah, Ragbir Singh (87), son of Shaju Singh of Jandhore, Ashok Kumar (28), son of Chait Ram of Ghordi, Ganesh Dutt (62), son of Amar Dutt of Nallaha Mallian, Sushma Devi, daughter of Attar Chand of Jandhore, Shailo Devi, wife of Kartar Chand of Kanah, Santi Devi wife of Prem Singh of Massal, Mulkh Raj of Nallaha Gorrian and Subash Kumar, son of Bittu Ram of Kanah, Ramnagar.
The injured were first shifted to Sub-District Hospital Ranagar where all, except two, were referred to District Hospital Udhampur.
The injured persons included; Polli Devi, wife of Vijay Kumar of Nallaha Mallian, Geeta Devi, wife of Ganesh of Nallaha Mallian, Bal Krishan, son of Mast Ram of Sunetar, Nikhal, son of Subash Chand of Ghordi, Yash Paul , son of Lofi Ram of Nallaha Mallian, Pooja Devi, daughter of Khem Raj of Kannah, Raksha Devi, wife of Pritam Singh of Jandhore, Dharmu Devi wife of Suram Chand of Birnoo, Roshan Kumar son of Thakur Das of Kannah, Sudesh, Kumar, son of Charan Das of Ghordi Khas, Pinky Devi wife of Govind Ram Singh of Nallaha Mallian, Monika daughter of Dina Nath of Chowki, Mulkh Raj son of Punu Ram of Ghordi, Chait Ram son of Badri Nath of Dalsar, Dharam Chand son of Suram Chand of Birnoo, Shubham, son of Sanjay Kumar of Ghordi and Jeet Kumar, son of Mulakh Raj of Jagir Ghordi.
In view of the critical condition, Shubham, Mulkh Raj and Rahul were shifted to Military Hospital Udhampur while Monika, Chet Ram, Yash Paul, Geeta and Subash were referred to GMC Hospital Jammu for advanced treatment.
Those, admitted in Ramnagar Sub-District Hospital, include, Roshal Lal, son of Thakur Dass and Pooja, daughter of Khem Raj. Both legs of driver of the ill-fated minibus, Ravi Shanker, got fractured in the mishap.
Reckless driving and bad condition of the road was apparent cause of accident as there was no parapet notwithstanding an adjoining deep nallah. Only last week, ARTO Udhampur Rajesh Gupta had challaned a number of vehicles on this route realizing Rs 80,000 fine.
An FIR, in connection with the accident, has also been registered at Ramnagar Police Station for further investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayed, Governor N N Vohra, Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and others, in separate messages, have expressed their grief over death of passengers in the road accident and conveyed their sympathies with the bereaved families. They also wished speedy recovery to those, who were injured in the accident.
According to a Raj Bhawan spokesman, the Governor is seriously concerned about the fatal accidents which having been occurring with sustained frequency on certain road stretches in the State. The Governor had recently talked to the Chief Minister about 40, 957 road accidents having taken place during 1.1.09-31.7.15, leading to 58,072 persons being injured and 6953 being killed. On an average, thus 18 accidents take place in the State in which 25 persons are injured and more than 3 killed every day. In this context, the Governor has urged the Chief Minister to chair a special meeting of the Cabinet to determine and issue the required directives, the spokesman added.
Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed his grief over the accident and drew attention of Chief Minister towards the frequent occurrence of road mishaps leading to loss of precious lives. He stressed the need for a comprehensive road safety action plan to contain the rising number of accidents.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while expressing his sympathies with families of the accident victim, has announced to extend all possible help for advanced treatment to the injured and said that the State Government should take concrete steps to ensure that such road mishaps may not take place in future.
Minister for Transport, Abdul Ghani Kohli has also conveyed his condolence to the bereaved families and wished early recovery to the injured.
Minister of State for Finance and IT Pawan Gupta and MLA Ramnagar Ranbir Singh Pathania visited the spot and Ramnagar hospital to enquire about condition of injured.
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