KAS officer, wife among 4 killed as car plunges into gorge

Wreckage of car and deceased couple (Inset).
Wreckage of car and deceased couple (Inset).

Excelsior Correspondent

DODA, Feb 26: A senior officer of Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) posted as Additional Secretary Roads and Building Department (R&B) and three of his family members were killed, when the Swift Dzire car they were traveling in, skidded off the road and plunged into deep gorge near Khellani on Batote-Doda National Highway this morning.
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK06-5076 was on its way to Doda from Jammu, when the driver lost control over the vehicle and it landed into 300-feet deep gorge near Khellani on Batote-Doda National Highway, resulting into on the spot death of KAS officer of 1999 batch and his wife. In the incident, two others received serious injuries.
After getting information, locals and police team rushed to the spot and shifted the two injured persons to District Hospital, but one of the injured died on way to hospital taking the death toll in the accident to three.
Later, the injured admitted in District Hospital Doda, was airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he also failed to respond to the treatment and succumbed to his injuries.
All the deceased have been identified as Kalyan Singh Parihar (1999 batch KAS officer), son of Late Prabhu Dayal, his wife Anita Devi (Government teacher), his mother-in-law Uma Devi and his brother-in-law Vinkal Kumar.
Kalyan Singh Parihar along with other family members were on their way to their native village in Jodhpur Ghat, District Doda in Ambulance from Jammu to perform last rites of his father Prabhu Dayal, who passed away late last night in GMCH due to illness.
At Batote, Kalyan Singh Parihar, his wife and his mother-in-law shifted to Swift Dzire car from Ambulance, which was driven by Vinkal Kumar.
Parihar, a 1999-batch KAS officer, was presently posted as Additional Secretary, Roads and Building Department (R&B). He had also served as BDO Ramsu, SDM Bhaderwah, CEO Bhaderwah Development Authority and Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu.
A case under relevant Sections has been registered at Doda police station and investigation started.
Meanwhile, Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS in PMO, expressed deep grief over the demise of KAS officer Kalyan Singh Parihar, his wife and two other family members. In his condolence message while praying for the eternal peace of the departed souls has expressed heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family.
Governor NN Vohra has expressed grief over the tragic demise of Kalyan Singh Parihar and his three family members including his wife. In a condolence message, Governor has conveyed his heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed deep shock and grief on the sudden demise of KAS officer Kalyan Singh and his other family members in the accident. He added that such painful accidents serve as a reminder to take immediate steps to prevent and contain occurrence of road accidents. Azad urged Governor to activate and strengthen the Road Safety Council.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and Member Parliament, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief and shock over the death of Kalyan Singh Parihar, his wife and two other family members. Mehbooba in her condolence message while praying for the eternal peace of the departed souls has expressed heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family.
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and working president Omar Abdullah expressed profound shock and grief over the death of Kalyan Singh, his wife and two other family members.
Conveying their condolences to the bereaved families, Farooq and Omar prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Provincial president National Conference Jammu, Devender Singh Rana and senior leaders of National Conference from Chenab Valley including Sheikh Abdul Rehman, former MP, Sajjad Kitchloo, former Minister and MLC, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhay, Qazi Jalal-ud-Din and Dr Chaman Lal, former legislators besides District presidents Tanveer Kitchloo and Sajjad Shaheen have also expressed grief over those killed in the accident and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Advisors to the Governor, Parvez Dewan and Khurshid Ahmad Ganai have condoled untimely demise of Additional Secretary R&B, Kalyan Singh Parihar, his wife and two others in the accident.
A condolence meeting was also held in the office chambers of Rohit Kansal, Commissioner Secretary PW(R&B)/PHE Department which was attended by Special Secretary PW (R&B) Majid K A Drabu,  Tariq Ahmad, Director Planning PW(R&B), Chief Engineers PW(R&B) Department, MD JKPCC, Mohammad Rafiq, Additional Secretary PHE, P R Katoch, Additional Secretary PHE, Rajesh Talwar, Director Finance PW(R&B) and other officers/officials of PW(R&B) and PHE Departments, wherein two minutes silence was observed as a mark of respect for the departed souls.
Chief Secretary BR Sharma has expressed profound grief over the death of Additional Secretary, Public Works (R&B) Department, Kalyan Singh Parihar. A condolence meeting was held at Civil Secretariat here this afternoon in which Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries, KAS Officers Association, senior officers  and Secretariat  employees expressed grief over the tragic accident in which three other family members of the KAS officer also died.
MLA Billawar Dr Nirmal Singh, MLA Darhal Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali and  MLA Doda Shakti Raj Parihar have also expressed grief over the loss of lives in this tragic accident in which KAS officer and his three family members were killed. They prayed for peace to the departed souls.
Former Education Minister, senior leader of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and MLC Naeem Akhtar and former PWD Minister and general secretary JKPCC Abdul Majid Wani have also condoled the untimely death of the KAS officer Kalyan Singh Parihar and his family members in a tragic accident at Doda District.
DC Doda, Bhupinder Singh, SSP Doda Z N Manhas and other officers have also expressed grief over the accident in which KAS office and his three family members were killed.

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