Loss of 46 lives in Kishtwar, Mughal Road tragic accidents
*Action inconsistent with outcome of enquiries
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 11: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that Traffic Police has issued only written warning and merely stopped increments of those officials whose negligence had led to the death of 46 persons and grievous injuries to several others in the tragic road accidents in Keshwan area of Kishtwar district and on Mughal Road last year.
This has raised eyebrows in cross section of society as well as in official circles as the action is completely inconsistent with the facts that have come to the fore during the course of enquiries.
Thirty five persons had lost lives in Keshwan area of Kishtwar district in the month of July 2019 when an extremely overloaded mini-bus plunged into 350 feet deep gorge. The ill-fated vehicle was carrying 51 passengers against the seating capacity of 27.
Similarly, 11 students lost their lives and six others sustained critical injuries when a Tempo traveler met with an accident at Lal Ghulam Nullah on Mughal Road in the month of June 2019. These two tragic accidents invited sharp criticism of the Traffic Police from cross section of society, which demanded stern action against all those responsible for loss of human lives.
Accordingly, Traffic Police Headquarters vide Order Nos.182 and 183 dated July 17, 2019 ordered enquiries into both the tragic accidents and entrusted the same to Tahir Sajjad Bhatt, the then SO to IGP Traffic and Joginder Singh, SSP Traffic Jammu City.
In the meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the High Court by Intakhab Ahmed Qazi expressing serious concern over the failure of all the concerned authorities to check naked dance of death on the roads particularly in the hilly parts of the then State of Jammu and Kashmir. Accordingly, a Division Bench of the High Court passed directions to the IGP Traffic seeking to know the outcome of the enquiries and the action proposed or already taken by the concerned authorities.
Few days back, the then IGP Traffic Alok Kumar filed a status report in the High Court, the perusal of which has made shocking revelations vis-à-vis action taken by the Traffic Police Headquarters even after admitting serious lapses on the part of the concerned Traffic Police personnel in checking these tragic road accidents.
“From the facts surfaced during the enquiry proceedings, it has become clear that multiple factors had led to the fatal road accident in Keshwan area of Kishtwar and while agreeing with the recommendations of the enquiry officer a written warning has been given to Inspector Kesar Singh, DTI Kishtwar to remain careful in future”, the affidavit of the Traffic Police reads.
Merely written warning has been given to DTI despite the fact that in the enquiry report it has been mentioned that travelling of 51 passengers in the vehicle having seating capacity for 27 persons was tantamount to failure on the part of concerned officer—DTI Kishtwar to check overloading.
While justifying this ‘unjustified’ punishment, the Traffic Police Headquarters said that no official was deployed on Kishtwar-Keshwan road on the date of accident for traffic regulation/enforcement work. However, at the same time it has admitted that this is one among several identified vulnerable roads in Kishtwar district.
Traffic Police has further tried to justify insufficient action by putting blame on worst condition of road, negligence of driver, shortage of transport service vehicles and boarding of excess passengers in the ill-fated vehicle.
Similarly, merely annual increments of Inspector Farooq Ahmed, DTI Pulwama-Shopian, Inspector Niaz Ahmed, DTI Mughal Road and ASI Zuilfiqar Ahmed, SO (T) Surankote has been stopped for some specific period even after holding them responsible for the tragic road accident on Mughal Road.
“These Traffic Police officers have failed to check overloading in the ill-fated vehicle which had resulted into loss of 11 precious lives”, the Traffic Police Headquarters has admitted in the affidavit filed before the High Court, adding “the allegations of negligence, carelessness and dereliction of duties have been proved against these officers on the basis of enquiry/statements of the locals and injured students”.
These facts have made it clear that enquiries after the tragic accidents are merely ordered for the sake of formality and no stringent action is being taken against the errant officials of Traffic Police.
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