Falling bus crushes auto-rickshaw with 17 passengers
Ex-gratia relief announced from CM Relief Fund
Dr Jitendra, Sinha, Omar express grief over loss of lives
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 20: In a tragic road accident, 21 passengers died and 62 others were injured when an overloaded private passenger bus plunged nearly 100 metres down a hillside crushing an auto-rickshaw before landing horrifically upside down on the road below at village Kaghote near Ramnagar in Udhampur district, this morning.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
“Seventeen passengers died on the spot and four others succumbed to their injuries on way to Udhampur hospital. Two injured have been referred to GMC Hospital Jammu and another to Military Hospital Udhampur in view of their serious condition,” said DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma.
The accident took place this morning around 10 AM when the passenger bus, bearing registration number JK14D-2121, was on way from Ramnagar to Udhampur. Driver lost control over the heavily overloaded and over- speeding bus when its front tyre burst and the vehicle fell approximately 100 meters down the roadside slope.
Before landing upside down on the road below, the falling bus crushed an auto-rickshaw, in which 17 passengers were travelling and they also sustained injuries. The 42-seater bus was carrying more than 65 passengers, mostly those heading to their daily jobs from Ramnagar to Udhampur.
An Army convoy passing along the hilly stretch led the rescue operation. As the vehicle had been reduced to a mangled heap of iron, with its top portion almost completely torn off, the rescue operation proved extremely challenging. The vehicle was later straightened using a hydraulic crane.
Army personnel were soon joined by local villagers and police teams led by DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, who worked in close coordination to break open the mangled remains of the bus and extricate the injured on priority. The rescuers pulled out survivors trapped in the wreckage before carefully retrieving the bodies of the deceased.
The victims were immediately rushed to Ramnagar Hospital and then referred to GMC Udhampur. Two of the injured were further referred to GMC Jammu and another one to MH Udhampur in view of their serious condition.
Immediately after learning about the tragic accident, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh spoke to DC Udhampur and assured all possible assistance. ” Just now spoke to DC Udhampur, Minga Sherpa, after learning about a tragic road accident. The rescue operation has been immediately undertaken. Arrangements being made to airlift the seriously injured. I am in constant touch with the local administration as well as our local workers team led by Rajinder Sharma,” he said in a post on X.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and those injured. They also directed authorities concerned to provide immediate relief and necessary support to those affected.
In a post on X, the Lt Governor said: “Tragic road accident in Udhampur is heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to bereaved families. May God grant them strength. Praying for a speedy recovery of the injured. I have directed the district administration, Police, SDRF and Health department to provide every possible assistance to those affected.”
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced immediate relief from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for victims of the accident and assured that action would be taken against those found responsible after ascertaining cause of the incident.
An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those seriously injured, and Rs 25,000 to persons who sustained minor injuries in the accident.
Victims of the accident, who died on the spot, were identified as Tilo Ram (60), son of Dhani Ram of W.No.8 Ramnagar; Prem Nath, son of Badri Nath of village Bimoo; Kartar Chand, son of Krishan Lal of village Birnoo; Som Raj, son of Loku Ram; Ram Chand, son of Gulabu Ram of village Sunetar-B; Gita Devi (40), wife of Parkash, resident of village Kirmoo (Nimbla); Romal Singh of village Amroh, Sharda Devi, wife of Romal Singh of village Amroh; Sunny (22), son of Mohan Lal of village Birno; Vishali Devi (30), wife of Arun Sharma of village Kirmoo; Pushap Raj (45), son of Gori Chand of village Katwalt; Ramolo Ram of village Sunetar, Tehsil Ramnagar; Gulabo Devi (65), wife of Romalo Ram of village Sunetar, tehsil Ramnagar; Jalam Singh (45), son of Lal Singh of Katwalt; Kesar Singh (70), son of Teja Singh of village Amroh; Kanta Devi (42), wife of Rattan Chand of village Katwalt and Anita Devi (42), wife of Parvinder Singh of village Ramnagar Birno.
Those who succumbed to their injuries on way to GMC Udhampur, included; Prem Singh (55) of Amroh Ramnagar, Archana Devi (17) daughter of Bhupinder of Birnoo Ramnagar, Poli Devi (35) and Ramesh Kumar (46), son of Paras Ram of Ramnagar.
Condition of the injured, admitted in GMC Udhampur, was stated to be stable. They were visited by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo who enquired about their condition. Accompanied by DC Udhampur, Minga Sherpa; Transport Commissioner, Vishesh Paul Mahajan; ADC Prem Singh and other senior officials of the district administration, the Chief Secretary reviewed the medical care being provided to the injured.
Health Minister Sakeena Itoo also issued urgent directions to the Principals of GMC Jammu and GMC Udhampur to ensure swift and coordinated medical response for all those injured.
The injured, undergoing treatment at hospital, were identified as Vishal (21), son of Mulkh Raj of village Keya; Kaka Ram (18), son of Sudesh Kumar of village Katwalt; Sushil Sharma (19), son of Ravi Kumar of village Jallow; Rakesh Kumar (28), son of Bishan Dass of village Kirmoo (Nimbla); Arti Devi, daughter of Nasib Ram of village Prey; Raj Kumar (42), son of Kapoor Chand of village Katwalt; Anita Sharma (43), wife of Kuldeep Raj of village Kirmoo (Nimbla); Rattan Chand (54), son of Krishna Chand of village Birno; Sudesh Kumar (26), son of Rattan Chand of Birno; Savitri Devi (45), wife of Rattan Chand of village Birno; Hans Raj (53), son of Kinoo of village Surni; Sunita Devi (35), wife of Ganesh Dutt of village Kirmoo (Nimbla); Subash Kumar (50), son of Shanker Dass of Chenani; Vansksha Rani (19), daughter of Sukhdev Chand of W.No.12 Ramnagar; Sheela Devi (35), wife of Des Raj of village Massal Kanah, Tehsil Ramnagar; Meenasha Devi (16), daughter of Des Raj of village Massal Kanah, Tehsil Ramnagar; Babli Devi (65), wife of Hans Raj of village Chowki-Jandrore; Anita Devi, wife of Des Raj of village Birno; Leema (20), wife of Abi of village Katwalt; Hameed, son of Abi of village Katwalt; Neetu Rani (32), wife of Sanjay Sharma of village Dehari; Sahil Thapa (18), son of Dogra Dass of village Katwalt; Apeksha Gupta (30), wife of Vikas Gupta of village Jandrore; Mairav Mahajan (7), son of Vikas Gupta of village Jandrore; Makhani Devi (40), wife of Sagar Chand of village Katwalt; Koushalya Devi (51), wife of Shiv Lal of Ressain village; Sachin Kumar (31), son of Ravi Kumar of village Kirmoo; Neelam Devi (24), wife of Omkar Chand of village Chhatriari; Sandla Devi (50), wife of Joginder Kumar of Birno; Vipan Kumar (35), son of Girdhari Lal of Ward No. 8 Ramnagar; Arjun Kumar Verma (21), son of Uttam Chand of W.No. 8 Ramnagar and Archana.
Astonishingly the 42- seater bus was carrying 65 passengers and 9-seater auto-rickshaw was packed with 17 persons, but there was no check on overloading and the concerned authorities were missing.
According to a survivor of the accident, overloading caused bursting of a tyre and driver could not control the bus because it was over-speeding also. Driver of the bus fled from the spot after the accident. Police have registered a case in this connection and launched a hunt to nab the absconding driver.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
