Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Apr 24: Two people, including a restaurant owner, were seriously injured after a stone slipped from a truck and crashed through a restaurant’s glass wall near Sidco Chowk on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway late Thursday evening.
According to eyewitnesses, the stone got stuck in a truck’s tyre due to lose debris from ongoing roadwork on the highway.
They said, as the truck moved, the stone dislodged and flew towards a roadside restaurant, smashing its glass front.
The injured have been identified as Aman Kumar and Happu Sambyal. Aman suffered a head injury while Happu, who is the restaurant owner, received a tooth injury.
Both were rushed to District Hospital Samba, and one of them was later referred to GMC Jammu for a CT scan.
Locals gathered at the spot in protest, blaming the construction company for negligence.
They alleged that due to improper maintenance and the presence of scattered stones on the road, such accidents have become frequent.
Former Bar Association president Mandeep Sambyal, who reached the site, said the construction company and National Highway Authority officials were not following proper safety measures.
He also criticized the condition of the highway, saying it was forcing people to use dangerous, unpaved routes.
Residents demanded immediate removal of loose stones from the road and stricter monitoring of construction work to prevent further accidents.
Police have taken note of the incident and initiated further investigation.
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