Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 19: In yet another tragic accident in the mountainous erstwhile Doda district, three persons were killed and seven others sustained injuries when a negligently driven Tavera vehicle, they were travelling in, plunged into over 200 feet deep gorge near Chatroo in Kishtwar district this afternoon.
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK03C-0744 was on its way from Vailoo in Anantnag district to Kishtwar via Simthantop road. When the vehicle reached Godanpari belt of Chatroo tehsil it skidded off the road and rolled down into deep gorge reportedly due to the negligence of the driver, who was plying the vehicle rashly.
On getting information about the accident, a police party from Chatroo Police Station led by SHO Farooq Ahmed Khateeb immediately rushed to the spot and started rescue operation with the help of local people.
After hectic efforts, all the injured occupants of the ill-fated Tavera were brought out of the gorge and rushed to Primary Health Centre Chatroo where two of them were pronounced as brought dead. One of the injured, later, succumbed to injuries in PHC raising the toll in the accident to three.
Later, seriously injured passengers were shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar and two of them then airlifted to Jammu for specialized treatment in the Government Medical College and Hospital. The district administration arranged Indian Air Force chopper for airlifting two severely injured to Jammu.
The deceased have been identified as Ghulam Hussain Dar, son of Mohammad Shafi Dar of Seri Doda, Musarat Begum, wife of Mushtaq Ahmed of Arhal Kokernag and Jumma Khan, son of Abdullah of Kakerwagan Chatroo.
The injured are Sanjay Kumar, son of Jeeta Chand, Anand Kumar, son of Dolu Ram, Gita Ram, son of Dasehra, all the residents of Chhattisgarh, Mushtaq Ahmed, son of Ghulam Qadir of Arhal Kokernag, Asma Banoo, daughter of Ismaeil Gujjar of Seal Doda, Zeina Begum, wife of Ali Mohammad of Kokernag and Mohd Shafi, son of Mohd Rajab of Kulgam. Their condition was stated to be out of danger when reports last came in.
Former Minister and MLA Inderwal, G M Saroori, who was in Chatroo immediately rushed to Primary Health Centre and issued instructions to the doctors of PHC Chatroo as well as District Hospital Kishtwar for providing all possible treatment to the injured.
He flayed the Government for not taking adequate steps to check road accidents particularly in the erstwhile Doda district. “The strength of traffic police personnel in the erstwhile Doda district is meager as a result of which violations of Motor Vehicle Act and Traffic Rules is blatant”, Saroori said, adding “unless Government takes concerted efforts such tragic accidents cannot be checked”.
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