Shivam Bakshi
Rajouri, Oct 9 (NVI): Two people were killed and 21 others injured after a passenger vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Friday evening, officials said.
The accident occurred at around 6 p.m. in the Moghla area under the jurisdiction of Triyath Police Post. The occupants were reportedly returning after visiting Marchola village to offer condolences following a death when the vehicle met with the accident.
Soon after the incident, locals and police personnel launched a rescue operation and shifted the injured to Primary Health Centre (PHC) Moghla for treatment.
According to hospital records, Balbir Singh, 45, son of Suram Singh, and Pritam Singh, son of Sant Ram, both residents of Moghla, were brought dead to the hospital.
The 21 injured include men, women and elderly persons, most of them residents of Moghla. They were identified as Kaushal Singh, 23; Joginder Singh, 80; Ambika Sharma, 45; Kaushalya Devi, 65; Babli Devi, 30; Kamal Singh, 55; Digpal Singh, 50; Sanjay Kumar, 30, a resident of Thalka; Rano Devi, 61; Shardi Devi, 60; Darshana Devi, 35; Sudesh Kumar, 50; Satya Devi, 70, a resident of Badhog; Bindo Devi, 35; Satvir Singh, 60; Parvez Singh, 65; Bimla Devi, 60; Neelam Devi, 40; Joginder Singh, 45; Sundar Singh, 60; and Sanyogita Kumari, 55.
Kalakote-Sunderbani MLA Thakur Randhir Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kalakote Mohammad Tanveer and Block Medical Officer Kalakote Dr Iqbal Malik visited the hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured. They also reviewed the medical facilities being provided to them.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Tanveer said some of the injured, whose condition was serious, had been referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri and Narayana Hospital in Katra for specialised treatment. The remaining injured were undergoing treatment, he said.
The Chief Minister expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. He directed the district administration to expedite rescue operations and ensure the best possible treatment for all the injured.
Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.—(NVI)
