In a devastating incident on Thursday, a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras met with a fatal accident on the Jammu-Poonch national highway in the Akhnoor area of Jammu district. The bus, en route to the Shiv Khori shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva near Reasi town, veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge at Tungi Morh, leaving a trail of destruction and sorrow.
The toll from this heart-wrenching mishap stands at 22 lives lost, including nine women and two children, with 57 others sustaining injuries of varying degrees. The gravity of the situation prompted swift rescue operations by local authorities and residents, who rushed to the scene to assist the victims.
According to Inspector Tariq Ahmed, the station house officer of Akhnoor police station, the accident occurred around 12:35 pm when the bus, carrying an undisclosed number of passengers, seemingly lost control at a turn. The driver’s possible drowsiness has been cited as a contributing factor, leading to the vehicle’s tragic descent into the gorge, approximately 150 to 200 feet below the highway.
Medical teams, including the Akhnoor sub-division block medical officer Dr Saleem Khan, worked tirelessly to attend to the injured. While some were treated at the local sub-district hospital in Akhnoor, many were transferred to the government medical college and hospital in Jammu for critical care.
Eyewitnesses and survivors recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the accident. Amar Chand, a survivor undergoing treatment, mentioned the driver’s struggle to navigate a blind curve while encountering an oncoming car, ultimately resulting in the bus’s fateful plunge.
The tragedy has sparked condolences and expressions of grief from top officials, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. PM Modi announced financial assistance of Rs. 2 lakh to the families of each deceased person and Rs. 50,000 for the injured, underscoring the nation’s solidarity during this somber time.
Sources By Agencies
