Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 4: Six persons were killed while at least 53 others injured, some of them seriously, in two separate road accidents in Bhaderwah Sub Division of district Doda and Mandi area of Poonch today.
While four persons were killed in remote and snow clad Chattergalla (Seoj Dhar Pass) area, on Bhaderwah-Bani-Basohli road, two other fatal casualties were reported from village Dingla on Poonch- Mandi road this morning.
Reports from Bhaderwah said that four labourers were killed while eight others injured when the mini-bus in which they were traveling, rolled down on the slippery road at Chattergalla Pass after being allegedly hit by an avalanche at around 9.30 am.
The-ill fated mini-bus bearing registration number JK08D-5995 was on its way to Bhaderwah from Bani. The road was opened by the Project Beacon authorities of BRO hardly two days back after snow clearance. The vehicle after several somersaults landed into a deep gorge, resulting into on the spot death of four persons and serious injuries to eight others.
The GREF labourers working near the accident site informed the police and also started rescue operation. The police team led by SHO Bhaderwah Inspector Jatinder Sambyal reached the spot and rescued the injured. All the injured persons were rushed to Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Bhaderwah, from where seven injured persons were referred to District Hospital, Doda for advanced treatment.
The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Shafi, son of Mohammad Dar of Udyanpur; Tariq Hussain, son of Mohammad Shafi of Udyanpur; Karnail Chand, son of Jagat Ram of Kashtigarh and Mool Raj, a resident of Bani.
The injured persons have been identified as Sapna Devi, daughter of Mool Raj of Bani; Shariq Ahmed, son of Abdul Kabir of Bani; Javed Ahmad, son of Mohammad Iqbal of Sartingal; Sunita Devi, wife of Mool Raj of Bani, Ashfaq Ahmed, son of Mohammad Hussain of Bani; Mohammad Shafi, son of Ghulam Mir of Kalihand; Mohinder Kumar, son of Rangeel Singh of Kashtigarh and Manoj Kumar, son of Rishi Kumar of Katyara. All the deceased and injured persons were engaged in the construction work of Dugga road in Bani. A case under FIR Number 54/17 under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A RPC has been registered at Bhaderwah Police Station for investigation.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, have expressed grief and shock over the loss of lives in these tragic accidents in Bhaderwah and Mandi area of Poonch. They convyed their sympathies to the bereaved families and also asked the concerned District Administrations to provide all possible help and medical treatment to the accident victims.
Reports from Poonch said that two persons were killed while at least 45 others injured, 14 of them seriously , when a mini-bus rolled down into a Nallah near Kalai on Poonch- Mandi road today.
The accident took place at around 9.20 am when the over loaded mini-bus (Canter), bearing registration No. JK-12/ 7781 was on its way to Mandi from Poonch. The mini-bus having capacity of about 22 passengers, was carrying about 50 passengers. A large number of Govt employees were travelling in the bus.
Some of the injured passengers told Excelsior that vehicle was driven fast by the driver. He was racing and trying to pass another mini-bus plying on the same route. A few passengers warned him but both the vehicles kept racing towards Mandi on this narrow road.
As the bus reached near Dingla village, the driver lost control on this over loaded vehicle and it rolled down into a Nallah. A heap of sand was also lying on the road side, which became another apparent cause of accident. While one person was killed on being shifted to Poonch hospital another seriously injured succumbed in Govt Medical College Hospital, Jammu at 4.30 pm. The driver though received injuries but he managed to slip away from the spot sensing trouble, reports said.
Immediately after the accident, people from the nearby area rushed to the site. SSP Poonch, Rajiv Pandey, Deputy Commissioner MH Malik, Additional SP MA Mir and ADC, Gurvinderjeet Singh along with ambulances and Medical team rushed to the spot. All the injured were evacuated to District Hospital, Poonch. The district officers were themselves supervising the treatment to victims in Hospital. The police said that a case of negligence has been registered against the bus driver.
The passenger, who was declared dead in Poonch Hospital was identified as 47-year-old Karan Suri, son of Madan Lal, resident of Khori Nar, Poonch.
The DC Poonch then contacted Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and sent requisition for the helicopter to shift seriously injured passengers to GMC Hospital, Jammu. Total 14 victims were airlifted to Jammu this afternoon in MI-17 IAF Helicopter. Critically injured Muneera Bi- (45), wife of Mohd Shafi, resident of Saujian in Mandi tehsil, succumbed to injuries in Jammu hospital.
Those injured and shifted to Poonch hospital are- Tazeem Akhter 40 yrs, wife of Khurshid Ahmed from Qazi Morha Poonch, Shakila Bano 40 yrs, wife of Mohd Yaseen from Kama Khan; Imran Khan- 35 yrs , son of Ismail Khan from Dungas, Nazma Kouser 12 yrs, daughter of Mohd Saleem from Kankote, Zohra Bano 38 yrs, wife of Javid Iqbal from WNo.13 Poonch; Gulshan Bali 55 yrs, wife of Ved Parkash from Khenatar, Poonch; Pushkar Raj 55 yrs, son of Krishan Lal from W.No.13, Poonch; Naseem Shah 30 yrs, son of Gulzar Shah from Gundi; Manjeet Singh, son of Pritam Singh from W.No 6 Poonch; Mumtaz Ahmed 29 yrs, son of Mohd Akram from Shahpur; Irshad Ahmed 35 yrs, son of Abdul Aziz from Dungas; Jabira Bi 55 yrs, wife of Mohd Shafiq from Mendhar ; Surinder Kour 45 yrs, wife of Parshotam Singh from Sheesh Mahal Poonch; Shamim Akhter 30 yrs, wife of Mohd Ishaq from Sawajian; Jaspreet Kour 35 yrs, wife of Paramjit Singh from Poonch; Mehar Bano 45 yrs, wife of Muzamal Hussain Shah of Poonch; Shakeela Begum 36 yrs, wife of Mohd Saleem from Kankote Poonch; Mast Ram 37 yrs; son of Shankar Dass from Bishnah Jammu; Mohd Shafiq 40 yrs , son of Sadar Din from Kirni Poonch; Naseem Aslam 18 yrs, son of Mohd Aslam from Arai, Mandi; Mohd Sadeeeq 40 yrs, son of Mohd Din from Khari, Poonch; Ratan Lal 44 yrs , son of Devi Dutta from Kama Khan Poonch; Hajra Bi 35 yrs, wife of Mohd Afzal. Resident of Gagrian; Romesh Kumar 30 yrs , son of Om Parkash from Punjab; Manav 5 yrs, son of Romesh Kumar from Punjab; Zarina Akhter 28 yrs, d/o Ghulam Nabi from W.No.2 Poonch; Rabina Akhter 24 yrs, daughter of Ghulam Nabi from W.No. 2; Mohd Afzal 40 yrs , son of Bashir Ahmed from Gagrian; Mohd Saleem 22 yrs, son of Mohd Nazir from Noona Bandi; Mohd Ashaq, son of Mohd Issaq of Poonch;Burfan Bi, wife of Nasser Ahmed from Poonch; Nagina Kouser, wife of Shahzad Bhat from Poonch; Samia Bano, wife of Mohd Riaz of Nangali Sahib; Nassem Akhtar, wife of Mohd Bashir of Jhullas, Kuldip Singh from Khorinar Poonch; Paramjit Khour, wife of Nirmal Singh of Poonch, Khalida Mir, wife of Mir Mohd of Dharra mandi, Mohd Shafiq, son of Ghulam Mohd of Poonch; Rashida Begum, wife of Mohd Nassir of Poonch; Mohd Farooq, Mohd Hussain of Sathra and Nassem Akhtar, wife of Mohd Freed from Sawjian Poonch.
The seriously injured passengers, airlifted to GMC, Hospital Jammu are- Shakeela Bano (40) from Poonch, Bashir Ahmed (50) from Lohil Bela Poonch, Rubina Akhtar (32) from Poonch, Mohd Ashiq ( child) son of Mohd Iashq from Mandi, Raseela Bi (30) from Poonch, Pushkar Raj (50), Sheesh Mahal Poonch, Zabia Bi (55) from Poonch, Khaleel Ahmed (37) from poonch, Pritam Kour (45) from Poonch, Zora bano (39) from Poonch, Shamim Akhtar (30) from Mandi and Mohd Sadiq (30) from Mandi.