Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 20: In a tragic accident, nine persons were killed and 22 others sustained injuries, 10 of them critically, when an overloaded mini-bus plunged into around 300 feet deep gorge at Pasana near Arnas in Reasi district this evening.
The mishap has once again brought to the fore the fact that Government agencies whose primarily job is to ensure that such tragedies don’t take place particularly in the hilly and remote areas, are in deep slumber.
Reports said that the ill-fated mini-bus carrying passengers beyond its seating capacity was on its way from Reasi to Arnas when it met with tragic accident at Pasana near Arnas.
The vehicle bearing registration number JK20-1920 was on its way from Reasi to Arnas when it met with accident reportedly due to the negligence of the driver, who was talking to someone on mobile phone despite being aware of pitiable condition of the road.
Soon after getting information about the tragic accident, District Development Commissioner Reasi, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary alerted the administration and rushed ambulances from District Hospital Reasi, NHPC and Army in order to ensure timely evacuation of injured from the accident spot.
In the meantime, local police with the help of Army swung into action and started rescue operation. After hectic efforts, all the occupants of the ill-fated vehicle were brought out of the gorge and shifted to hospital. However, eight of them were pronounced as brought dead while as another succumbed to injuries while being shifted to District Hospital Reasi raising the toll in the accident to nine.
Ten passengers, who had sustained severe injuries, were later shifted to Government Medical College Jammu in the ambulances arranged by the District Development Commissioner besides a vehicle provided by the Army. Their condition was stated to be critical when reports last came in.
The ill-fated vehicle was carrying passengers beyond its seating capacity and this was the major reason behind the tragic accident besides the use of mobile phone by the driver. “The driver was talking to someone on mobile phone when the accident took place”, reports said, adding “he was allegedly even under the influence of liquor”.
According to the locals, overloading in the vehicles plying on this road has become a routine but the Transport Department authorities have not taken any step to check the same.
District Administration Reasi had also written to the Commissioner Secretary Transport in the month of June for providing State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses for rural areas including the Reasi-Arnas road and in response to the request of Reasi Administration directions were issued to the SRTC administration for providing at least two buses, sources said.
However, till date no vehicle has been provided by the SRTC management and this has become the major reason behind overloading in the private vehicles plying on the roads in the hilly areas of the Reasi district, sources added.
They further said that despite receiving several complaints from the general public about use of mobile phone by the drivers of passenger vehicles the authorities concerned have not taken any concrete step to check the same.
The tragic accident has once again brought to the fore the fact that Government agencies whose primarily job is to ensure that such tragedies don’t take place particularly in the hilly and remote areas, are in deep slumber.
Meanwhile, Reasi District Administration has provided Rs 10,000 to the family members of each deceased while as an amount of Rs 5000 has been sanctioned for each of the injured under Red Cross.
The deceased have been identified as Lakshmi Chand, son of Gian Chand, Baldev Singh, son of Mela Ram, Sita Devi, wife of Prem Chand, Sunil Kumar, son of Rattan Lal, Guddi Devi, wife of Puran Chand, Gulzar Ahmed, son of Ghulam Mohd, Isreel, son of Ismail, Ram Kumari, wife of Sher Singh and Kartaro Devi, wife of Soan Mal, all the residents of Pasana.
The injured, who have been admitted in Government Medical College and Hospital have been identified as Habi Bashir, son of Fazal Din, Veer Singh, son of Krishan Singh, Subash Singh, son of Sansar Singh, Om Parkash, son of Beli Ram, Rano Devi, wife of Bansi Lal, Chuni Lal, Charan Dass, son of Jai Ram, Chanchlo Devi, wife of Magar Chand, Mubassir Hussain, son of Mushtaq Ahmed and Rinku, son of Mehar Chand.
Those admitted in Reasi Hospital are Rajinder Singh, son of Shamsher Singh, Baldev Singh, son of Punjab Singh, Guddi Devi, wife of Suraj Parkash, Gulshan, son of Girdhari Lal, Baldev Ram, son of Sukha Ram, Tara Devi, wife of Baldev Kumar, Pummy Devi, wife of Vakeel Singh, Sunil Singh, son of Partap Singh, Romesh Singh, son of Prem Singh, Keri Sharma, son of Bramdutt, Rajinder Singh, son of Sansar Singh and Sunita Devi.
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