Rajouri, Sep 15: Within 24 hours of a tragedy that struck neighbouring Poonch district, four people died while 33 others were injured in two separate road accidents in Rajouri district on Thursday.
These accidents occurred a day after 11 persons lost their lives and 27 others sustained injuries in a major accident at Saujiyan in the twin border district of Poonch.
Officials said that a bus (JK02CD 9156) on its way from the Surankote area of Poonch to Jammu met an accident at around 11:50 am when the driver of the bus lost control over the wheel on the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway and the bus plunged into a deep gorge at Deri Ralyote.
“The ill-fated vehicle fell into a 300-feet deep gorge along Deri Ralyote road. Four persons died on the spot while 26 others sustained injuries,” the officials said. “Soon after the accident, locals rushed to the spot and started a rescue operation. Joined by the teams of Police, Army, and civil administration which reached the accident site after some time, they helped evacuate the injured to the hospital. Around half a dozen ambulances of the Health Department and the Army were pressed into service for the rescue operation.”
They said that 26 injured were rescued from the spot and taken to Primary Health Centre (PHC), Manjakote from where 15 were referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Associated Hospital Rajouri.
Fourteen of the injured are presently under treatment at Rajouri while one of the injured was later referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) Jammu.
Police identified the deceased as bus driver Harshid Choudhary, 26, son of Surinder Kumar of Chowki Nowshera, bus conductor Ravaiz Iqbal, son of Muhammad Iqbal of Draba Surankote, Muhammad Jahangir Khan, son of Muhammad Riaz Khan of Dharati Mendhar, and Noushada Akhter, wife of Muhammad Sajid of Dabrote.
The injured have been identified as Aftaj, son of Muhammad Ashraf of Surankote; Muhammad Sajjad, son of Haq Nawaz of Panjgrian; Nazir Shah, son of Ali Akbar of Samote, Surankote; Tasveer Begum, wife of Muhammad Riaz Khan of Dharati Mendhar; Maqsood Ahmad, son of Muhammad Khurshid of Marhote, Surankote; Afraz Ahmad, son of Niaz Ahmad of Fazalabad, Surankote; Muhammad Shakoor, son of Muhammad Sidiq of Dodassan Bala; Shamshir Ahmad, son of Muhammad Bashir of Bhatian; Zabaida Begum, wife of Niaz Ahmad of Fazalabad, Surankote, Muhammad Sharif, son of Muhammad Shafi of Dehri Ralyote; Nazir Ahmad, son of Muhammad Wazir Bhatti of Marhote, Surankote; Naheed Akhtar, wife of Aurangzeb of Dhargaloon, Mendhar; Muhammad Sagar, son of Muhammad Rashid Khan of Fazalabad Surankote; Ishfaq Ahmad, son of Haq Nawaz of Thandapani, Manjakote; Zensha, daughter of Aurangzeb of Dhargloon, Mendhar; Shamim Akhtar, daughter of Muhammad Akram of Kotaan Mendhar; Muhammad Akram of Kotan Mendhar; Mia Muhammad, son of Hamida of Fagla, Surankote; Muhammad Tariq, son of Mehdi Hussain of Muradabad Uttar Pradesh; Muhammad Rashid Khan, son of Alyas Khan of Fagla Surankote; Sharoon Mir, son of Muhammad Sidiq of Kotan, Mendhar, and three persons whose identity could not be ascertained.
In another accident, seven persons were injured after a vehicle moving on Kotranka Rajouri road fell into a deep gorge at Mandir Gala.
Officials said that this accident occurred when the vehicle moving from Kotranka to Rajouri skidded off the road and fell in fields along the road at Mandir Gala, leaving seven persons injured.
The injured were identified as Basharat Ahmad, his wife Guddi Begum, and his daughter Mehreen Kouser, Sayeeda Tabassum, Dilshad Ahmad, Gulnaz Akhtar, and Sulieman Rashid.