Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 19: A Tata Sumo skilled off the road and fell into a gorge in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district killing five persons while one person was killed and six others were injured in separate road mishaps across Kashmir today.
A police spokesman said five persons were killed in Kupwara district when a Sumo bearing registration number JK09/1192 they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell in a gorge at Z-Morh on Machil-Kupwara Highway.
The spokesman said the driver of the vehicle, Abdul Rashid Cheche son of Mir Alam of Sarkul Kalaroos, lost control over his vehicle, which skidded off the road. The Sumo fell into a gorge injuring all 8 persons including the driver on board.
The spokesman said the deceased have been identified as Hashim Jan wife of Mohammad Yaseen Tantry of Chottwari, Saleema daughter of Mohammad Yousf Tantry of Chottwari, Zameer Ahmad Hadi son of Ghulam Ahmad of Chottwari, Humunin Sharma of Rajasthan and Abdul Rashid Cheche son of Mir Alam of Sarkul Kalarooch.
A young woman, Nahida Tahir, 21, was killed when a scooty (JK02-1043) she was riding as a pillion with her brother Nadeem Tahir, 17, collided with a tipper (JK01N-4779) travelling from opposite direction near Malshahibagh in Ganderbal district.
The spokesman said Nahida died on spot while Nadeem was critically injured.
Both are residents of Drass in district Kargil and are presently residing at Wussan in Kangan. Nadeem has been shifted to SKIMS where his condition is stated to be critical, the spokesman said.
Locals said that the tipper driver fled away from the spot after the accident. However, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Nagbal, said that they have arrested the tipper driver, Ghulam Qadir Dar, of Khimbar, Buchpora and a case under FIR No.192/2013 under Section 225/337 has been registered in the accident.
One Shams-ud-din Khatana, 81, son of Habibullah Khatana of Banday Kalarooch was injured when a Tata Mobile bearing registration number JK09/0676 hit him at at Drugmullah near a college. He was shifted to Bone and Joint Hospital, Srinagar, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party have expressed grief over the tragic road accident in Machil, Kupwara.
A spokesperson of the Government said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in a road accident in Machil.
The Chief Minister has also sanctioned Rs. one lakh each for the deceased and Rs. 10, 000 for the injured.
In a statement, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has expressed her deep grief over the incidents and conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families.